Mark Chick comments on recent developments in leasehold law.
Mark Chick, our Senior Partner and Head of our Landlord & Tenant team was recently a co-signatory to a letter written to the Housing minister, Christopher Pincher MP.
Mark explains more:
“The letter was written by ALEP the Association Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners, of which I am chairman.
We were requesting an update as to when government will issue its response to the Law Commission’s recommendations to leasehold reform which were published four months ago.
In July, as I wrote here, the Law Commission presented government with comprehensive recommendations for reform which would bring about significant and positive changes to the way the current leasehold system operates.
At ALEP’s Annual Conference, (which was held online this year), over 200 delegates participated in the week-long event. During the Conference we presented an expert panel session where the Law Commission’s proposed reforms to leasehold legislation were debated.
As part of this session, we carried out a poll on the Law Commission’s recommendations from our members, which we have shared in our letter with the minister:
82% of members think that reform is necessary.
12% think reforms are less than three years away.
56% think reforms are three to five years away.
27% think reforms are five to ten years away.
The Law Commission has produced a significant body of work in relation to this study and it would be a real shame if this were to be put to one side by Parliament.
I am aware that there are many who would like to see the law in this area reformed.
We look forward to hearing from government as to when they plan to consider the Law Commission’s report and how they plan to implement its recommendations into the reform of the law in relation to enfranchisement, and the leasehold system more generally.”
At Bishop & Sewell, we have more than 40 years’ experience in property with a particular focus on Landlord & Tenant. For more information, on this or other property related matters, please contact our Landlord and Tenant team by emailing leasehold@bishopandsewell.co.uk or please call 020 7631 4141 and ask for a member of the Property team.
The above is accurate as at 24 November 2020. The information above may be subject to change during these ever-changing times. The content of this note should not be considered legal advice and each matter should be considered on a case by case basis.
