Commonhold and Leasehold Reform

Jessica Toale Excerpts

Tuesday 27th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Matthew Pennycook]

Again, I refer my hon. Friend to the two comprehensive consultations that we launched before Christmas. We need to establish the new regulatory framework to provide consumer protections for residential freeholders on freehold estates. We are also consulting on how to reduce the prevalence of such private management arrangements, which are at the core of so many of the unjust practices that residential freeholders face.

[Jessica Toale (Bournemouth West) (Lab)]

I have heard too many horror stories from leaseholders in Bournemouth West. One constituent, Jeremy Green, described feeling like a second-class citizen subject to the total autocratic control of his freeholder landlord and its managing agent. Will the Minister assure me that this Labour Government are getting on with reform and giving leaseholders the protections and dignity that they deserve?

[Matthew Pennycook]

Given their experience of the leasehold system, it is completely understandable that Jeremy and other leaseholders across the country feel that the dream of home ownership has fallen so short. That is why we have to end the system in its entirety. This draft Bill goes a long way towards ensuring that we do just that.