Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to review regulations affecting (a) rent and (b) service charges in (i) high streets and (ii) shopping centres.

This government recognises the importance of a fair commercial leasehold market for the health of the high street. We are legislating to ban the use of upwards-only rent reviews, which make high street businesses uncompetitive if the market declines. We have also tasked the Law Commission, in addition to their ongoing review of the Landlord and Tenant Act (1954), with considering the law governing the maintenance, repair and upgrading of leased commercial buildings, including service charges.