MPs turned out in force this morning to meet leasehold demonstrators organised by the National Leasehold Campaign, most of who arrived by coach from the North West.
Sir Peter Bottomley and Jim Fitzpatrick, patrons of LKP and co-chairs of the APPG on leasehold reform, were on hand, as was Justin Madders, the deputy chair who is moving a Bill in the autumn to make enfranchisement and lease extension a simple multiple of 10 times annual ground rent.
Also present were Labour front bench housing spokesman John Healey and his deputy Sarah Jones, the shadow housing minister. And Mike Amesbury, Andy Slaughter, Faisal Rashid and other MPs.
The demonstrators from the North West were joined by those in the South East, temporarily pushing aside the EU remain protestors from their pitch at Old Palace Yard, which they have occupied for months.
There will be an article in the Guardian tomorrow. The Mail on Sunday was on hand. And BBC news footage was taken.
The demonstrators wore burgundy T shirts and cheered on by a trans woman leaseholder in a wedding dress, who added a striking note to the event.
How families are STILL being lured into buying homes that may not sell
Homebuyers are being locked into controversial leasehold contracts on newly built properties with this type of sale soon set to be banned Catherine Gale, 44, fears she faces a huge loss on her three-bedroom house outside Bolton She says homes on the estate have sold at tens of thousands of pounds less than their original price Homebuyers are being locked into controversial leasehold contracts on newly built properties – just weeks before this type of sale is banned.
Justin joins leasehold campaigners in Westminster and vows to continue the fight for reform – Justin Madders MP
Ellesmere Port & Neston MP, Justin Madders was pleased to lend his support when leasehold campaigners from across the country descended on Westminster for a lively and good-spirited demonstration. The campaigners, who later presented a petition at 10 Downing Street, are seeking to highlight unfair terms in the sale of thousands of new homes across the country.
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Brilliant show NLC members! Sorry we all couldn’t be there but we are all supporting the cause. Nice to see the MPs who are trying to make change happen as well.
There needed to be a much stronger Conservative presence. After all, they are the ruling party!
Are the Conservatives serious about leasehold reform, apart from better ‘regulation’ of managing agents ?That could add to costs for all. RTM for a start needs to be made much easier, a majority of leaseholders who bother to vote should be enough to get change. After all some recent governments have got elected with just 20% of the total electorate supporting them. Get costly solicitors and surveyors out of the system. Justin Madders proposals seem very sensible. Could those who extend a lease of a flat instead buy a share of the freehold to the building, so ultimately the main freeholder does not have a majority interest ? Difficult to get sensible reforms when a large minority of leaseholders often take little or no interest in the management of their building.