Actions

What Could the Welsh Assembly Do

We want members of the Welsh Assembly to work to legislate the following achievable actions:

  • No new houses to be created as leasehold.
  • All new flats to be sold as commonhold, securing full ownership.
  • Wales to commit to a Commonhold type system for all residential flats by 2025 and signal the end of long leasehold tenure before then.
  • Allow all leaseholders to purchase their lease for a capped amount of 10x annual ground rent.
  • The excessive threat of forfeiture to be removed from existing leases.
  • Permission fees to be set at a maximum of £10 for all leases or commonhold contracts, unless the freeholder or agent can clearly demonstrate they have incurred greater cost in granting the permission. A ‘reasonable charge’ is too loose a definition and is currently abused by freeholders and agents.

If leasehold is retained for some reason:

  • The ground rent for all new leases for flats to be set at zero. The UK government has committed to this.
  • New residential leases to be set at a minimum of 900 years.
  • A resident’s management company to be included in all new leases for flats, so residents can have control in who they appoint as the managing agent. The court or tribunal can appoint an approved managing agent where the residents are unwilling or incapable.
  • Remove the 25% commercial rule in buildings for all leases so leaseholders can exercise their Right to Manage or Enfranchise. The UK government has already committed to this.

Legislation passed by the Scottish parliament effectively brought leasehold to an end in the country.

See the history of leasehold for more information