Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Commonhold White Paper: The proposed new commonhold model for homeownership in England and Wales, published on 3 March 2025, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of those proposals on commonhold on (a) existing leaseholders and (b) Right to Manage arrangements.
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statements I made on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244) and 3 March 2025 (HCWS488).
The government will consult this year on the best approach to banning new leasehold flats. We are also reviewing the Law Commission’s recommendations to make it easier for existing leaseholders to choose to convert to commonhold and will set out next steps in due course.
We remain steadfast in our commitment to providing leaseholders with greater rights, powers and protections over their homes. Alongside the extensive programme of detailed secondary legislation that we are bringing forward to implement the remaining provisions of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024, we will further reform the existing leasehold system by legislating to tackle unregulated and unaffordable ground rents; removing the disproportionate and draconian threat of forfeiture; acting to protect leaseholders from abuse and poor service at the hands of unscrupulous managing agents; and enacting remaining Law Commission recommendations on enfranchisement and the Right to Manage.