The Labour shadow housing brief has passed from Mike Amesbury (MP, Weaver Vale) to Matthew Pennycook (MP, Greenwich and Woolwich).
Mr Amesbury takes over the shadow role for local government.
Leaseholders – and LKP – have a lot to thank Mike Amesbury. He has been an indefatigable advocate for home buyers ripped off by doubling ground rents and the unjustifiable spread of leasehold houses – which were particularly prevalent in the North West.
He also had a leading role in organising the summit of stakeholders caught up in the building safety / cladding scandal headed by communities shadow Lucy Powell earlier this year.
Representing a London seat, Mr Pennycook has been more involved with leasehold flats in his constituency, especially new build blocks caught up in the building safety / cladding scandal.
He has attended many of the main leaseholder meetings, including the demonstration in Parliament Square last September.
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Would like to thank Mike Amesbury MP for all his work over the years to address the injustices of leasehold law, also a welcome to Matthew Pennycook who I am sure will carry on the good work.
Mike has tried to include all leaseholders in the Leasehold Reform Bill and the reason why this was not voted in is because out of the 15 votes, 9 were Conservatives Against it and 6 were Labour MP’s For the ammendment.
Well you can make your own mind up as to why this is, my idea is simply this….eventually Reform will come and these money for nothing schemes will falter.
Already I and my neighbours have recieved an offer to buy our freeholds, at a bloated price, with a nice little threat for any breaches that may have occurred which is a really good scam to extort even more, so it would seem that the parasites have seen the writing on the wall and have been given the time to grab as much as possible before their cash cow milking is terminated.
Seems peculiar that the Tories can get Bills through with no problem at all such as building above someones home with little redress for those affected, and their are others which just don’t seem to be well publicised for some reason.
Dear Mike Amesbury,
On behalf of the National Leasehold Campaign, we are disappointed to hear you are moving from your current position and wanted to thank you for the relentless support you have given to Leaseholders within the shadow housing team. You have been an outstanding advocate for leaseholders up and down the country and have not held back in holding government to account. You have dedicated so much of your time to understanding the many issues leaseholders have. It’s not easy to navigate around this complex tenure and understand the many loopholes, but you did so, and often went that extra mile in our interests.
Our members are very grateful for all your hard work. We know you have supported the work of the NLC since 2017; even before your position within the shadow housing team and we know you will continue to do so.
We look forward to attending the “All you can eat buffet” when government eventually deliver their many promises and help “The many not just the new”.
Yours Sincerely,
Katie Kendrick, Cath Williams & Jo Darbyshire
(On behalf of 22k members of the NLC)
Many thanks to Mike Amesbury MP for all his hard work to protect leaseholders. And welcome to Matthew Pennycook! Here’s to the eventual end of leasehold!
The RH Mike Amesbury leaves with his head held high. Working hard hand in hand with the NLC & LKP to end leasehold, remediate cladding and many other issues. Thank you sir!!
Mike Amesbury will be a hard act to follow. Saying and doing all the right things in support of leaseholders the length and breadth of the country (including millions who don’t even know yet what dire straights they’re in). We look forward to the next act and hopefully the final curtain on this feudal process for England and Wales.
Thanks so much Mike for all that you did to help others.
Thank you so very much for all of your efforts to assist Leaseholders all over the country.
You have offered us some hope of an improvement of the dreadful situation that many of us unwittingly have found ourselves trapped in.
I would like to thank you Mike for the absolutely amazing unwavering and passionate support for the NLC, the LKP and all the victims of the leaseholdscandal and claddingscandal. You are never failed to raise the issues in the house of commons and have been a beacon of light in dark times. Sorry to see you leave this position but wish you all the best
Thank you for all your support Mike
All the best Mike and thanks for all your help these last few years. Welcomed me to one of your leasehold meetings as my MP had ignored my concerns. Shame you had to move on but I hope Mr Pennycook can take the bull by the horns so to speak… Time for leasehold to finally be abolished!
Thank you for all the support you have shown to the plight of the leaseholder & those affected by the cladding scandal. You have been the voice of many and will be missed. Good luck for the future
Dear Mike Amesbury MP,
Thank you for your tireless work in shadow housing and supporting existing and new leaseholders to navigate tricky ground rent, leasehold and Commonhold Reform.
I was particularly encouraged by your speech at our LHers together rally. Let’s kick this feudal leasehold system into the history books where it belongs.
We very much hope you will continue to speak up for leaseholders in the House.
All the very best in your new role and welcome Matthew Pennycook MP to his new role.
Thank you for your work to date Mike – on behalf of my own development of 418 flats and the many more who continue to suffer the injustices surrounding leasehold and shared-ownership, compounded by building safety issues.
All the best.
Thank you Mike, for this and all you do for us leaseholders.
Thank you Mike for all that you have done for leaseholders. Best of luck in your new job.
Thank you Mike for all you have done for leaseholders, and best of luck in your new job.
Thanks a lot Mike, the UK needs more people like you..
Thank you Mike for looking after us. and being our voice. We need more people like you to bring awareness of the various issues with leasehold and most importantly to champion to put an end to this archaic “ownership” tenure. I wish you all the best in your new endeavours. You will be missed!!
A huge thank you to Mike for giving your energy & knowledge to support justice for leaseholders. It’s a hard struggle but people like yourself give us hope. Welcome to Matthew who will hopefully continue your good work.
Thank you Mike for all your help and support for all the people like me stuck with onerous leases. We need all the help we can get and you’ve done a fantastic job.
Thank you for all your work and dedication Mike. I remember you challenged Theresa May in the first PMQ session a few years back about one of my fellow leasehold neighbours- your commitment to leaseholders is recognised strongly by your constituents.