Leasehold Reform - Let's end the suffering

Hard_food_for_midas

Hard_food_for_midas said:

There is cross party support to end this form of feudalism that only exists in England and Wales.

I’ve just read through the debate on Leasehold Reform on 23/5/23.
https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2023-05-23/debates/FF122851-B7C5-4946-A830-B548A4C6AAC3/LeaseholdReform

Four hours of reading to hear that there is all-party agreement to replace leasehold with Commonhold. Notably Peter Bottomley MP (Con), had said to Starmer ‘If you bring forward a bill, it will have all-party support…and change the lives of approx 6 million people.’ (NB Labour failed, despite it being a Manifesto Pledge in 1997, to do it!)

This from the debate on 5/6/23:
https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2023-06-05/debates/EB4F32CC-0DDD-4B1F-9132-AF838D5B16A6/LeaseholdReform

"...will the Government legislate to implement all of the Law Commission’s recommendations on enfranchisement, commonhold and the right to manage before the end of this Parliament—yes or no?"

Here is the Law Commission's recommendations: https://www.lawcom.gov.uk/project/leasehold-enfranchisement/

From this debate on 

Freehold and Leasehold Reform

Volume 735: debated on Wednesday 5 July 2023

https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2023-07-05/debates/E02E226D-06CC-4197-AB47-97215AC80682/FreeholdAndLeaseholdReform

"The consensus on both sides of this Chamber is that we need to see a transfer of power from management companies to homeowners, so that we can end the poor value that is too often provided by management companies, end the exorbitant fees and, perhaps most importantly of all, give homeowners the power to transfer from one management company to another, which is currently restricted"

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So, about 6 million people trapped in what we often call fleecehold. I feel particularly for those trapped in the cladding scandal and for many of us who were so happy to be in our home, that we overlooked the fact that we did not own/co-own the land it was on and that we would need to pay ground rent and service charge on their terms.

In Australia and many other places across the world, they use the Strata system:

https://www.lookupstrata.com.au/what-is-strata/

In Scotland - you all co-own the land that the homes are on - some pay a factor to manage a block and take regular payments towards communal repairs and maintenance, but residents have a lot of control over it and can fire the factor if they are no good. Each owner has a share on the Solice - the land it is on.
https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/consultation-paper/2021/11/review-of-land-rights-and-responsibilities-statement-a-consultation/documents/review-of-the-land-rights-and-responsibilities-statement-consultation/review-of-the-land-rights-and-responsibilities-statement-consultation/govscot:document/review-land-rights-responsibilities-statement-consultation.pdf

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Help me write a policy on enfranchisement, commonhold and right to manage. Here's a start:

"Residential leasehold will be phased out, and all new developments will be freehold, commonhold or cooperatively owned.  Existing leaseholders will be given the right to buy their freehold at a fair price or convert to commonhold or cooperatively owned.. Leaseholders under the same freehold will also be able to transfer to commonhold on a simple majority vote and without paying the unfair 'marriage value'....."

“On council estates, it may be hard to get over 50% private leaseholders in order to exercise a transfer to commonhold.  Therefore, council estates will be transferred to commonhold/strata where the council will remain as one of the owners with a “share” of responsibility for the communal areas, thus ensuring that council tenants would still be protected as their tenancy would still be directly with the council and hence they would have all of the same rights as the currently do.”

“By enfranchising residents on council estates in this way, they can exercise far more control over quality and value for money of repairs and maintenance.”

My original question was asking for you to help me write a policy. Any takers..?

eddddy

Out of interest - once you've written your policy, what do you intend to do with it?

newdriver101

Hard_food_for_midas said:

My original question was asking for you to help me write a policy. Any takers..?

Have you been in contact with the NLC - National Leasehold Campaign?  They have been campaigning for commonhold for years so may already be doing this and/or may be able to assist...
https://nationalleaseholdcampaign.org/