Andrew Selous, Conservative MP for South West Bedfordshire, told the All Party Parliamentary Group on leasehold reform on April 19 that leasehold houses were “despicable”.
“For me, this is a spivvy financial director dreaming up on a wet Thursday afternoon how developers can get another stream of income. We should not be treating homeowners in this way, and I think it is absolutely disgraceful.”
In a powerful intervention, Andrew Selous said:
“This practice offends my sense of Justice. It is despicable and I think we should call a spade a spade.
“I first became aware of this issue relatively recently because of two sites built on freehold land. One was in Dunstable with Galliford Try trading under the name Linden Homes, and the other in Leighton Buzzard with Persimmon.
“In the main, it is first-time buyers using Help To Buy.
“This should be a really exciting moment: getting your first home, often with a family. It is a big investment in your future and this been ruined with all the worries that we have heard about.
“I want to stop the practice of new leasehold houses on freehold land. There is no reason for it.
“We need a speedy an affordable means to get people out of this situation.
“I don’t like developers using their own solicitors as we have heard.
“I raised this with the prime minister a couple of weeks ago and she was very clear saying but there was no reason why a new house should be sold on a leasehold basis.
“I’ve also spoken to the relevant ministers at DCLG making them aware of my views.
“On May 2 I have a meeting with the House Builders Federation in the House of Commons.
“We should not be treating homeowners in this way and I think it is absolutely disgraceful.”
Related posts:
STOP Selling new build leasehold houses demands Leader of the House of Commons
Protestors gather outside ANOTHER housebuilder: Galliford Try
‘I don’t see why houses are sold leasehold,’ says prime minister. Is this the final nail?
Surge in new-build leasehold houses with £1.9 billion sold last year
BBC R4 You and Yours reports MPs saying leasehold houses are a ‘national con’
Adriatic Land now wants £54,000 for my freehold that Taylor Wimpey said would cost £6,000
Andrew will be getting my vote again in June. He’s done a great many good things in and around my area. If he can get our voices heard further up the chain it will be a great thing.
Message to Andrew.
I hope leasehold law’ offends your sense of justice’ and you will campaign for its abolition and give homeowners the rights to the land they live on. I had no option but to buy a flat lease. We would all buy freehold or share of freehold if we could.
I can’t believe not one of the many leasehold abuses has been stopped by this government and that more opposition MPs don’t join the APPG. Why ?
Justin Madders MP has hit the nail on the head.
MPs join APPGs when their constituents ask them to. So we all need to exhort our own MPs to stand against leasehold outrages, and show visible support by (among other things) joining the APPG. We need to write to them (they take more notice of letters than emails). Even more powerful – visit them in their constituency offices. MPs are answerable to their constituents, but they need to know what’s important to us.
Also, the forthcoming election is an excellent opportunity for us to ask candidates where they stand on this issue, and leave them in no doubt this is a potential vote-winner (or loser) for them.
Thank-you to all concerned for gaining the recent amazing media publicity!
Well said susan. I totally agree.
We need to get a leasehold pledge that leaseholders get their MPS to sign up to.
We need to stand United.
We won’t give up.
THE PRESSURE MUST BE RELENTLESS !!!
This practice is a disgrace, it is no more than a throw back to the days of the landowner and serf relationship.
Only difference is now it is hidden and manipulated to make a few a large amount of money with decent people paying for it.
It needs to stop and those victims recompensed. Without a doubt the new PPI scandal.