The House of Lords put pressure on the government this week to revisit the issue of residential commonhold tenure as an alternative to leasehold.
The initiative came from Baroness Gardner of Parkes, who repeatedly raises leasehold issues in the Lords.
There was a commitment to review the 2002 Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 10 years after.
Baroness Gardner was backed by LibDem Baroness Maddock who said:
“It is quite incredible that many of us spent hours scrutinising the Bill well over 10 years ago. Since that 2002 Bill, there have been only 15 commonhold new developments and 152 units within blocks. That is not necessarily due to a lack of interest: there are significant obstacles for both old and new properties. Given the time that has been spent on this matter, I really think it is time that we as a Government looked at post-legislative scrutiny much more seriously, particularly in cases such as this.”
Lord (Richard) Best, who is chairman of the Hanover Housing Association, said:
“Would the Minister be willing to meet some of the Members of your Lordships’ House who recently got together to look at these issues? We discovered that there are quite a number of relatively modest reforms which would make a difference to leaseholders’ lives but which at the moment are not receiving attention.”
It is unclear what these changes may be.
Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation / LKP has contacted Lord Best for clarification.
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Good. It can be made to work but at present home owners would be in virgin territory in terms of much of the law that would not apply when dealing with the interminable problems that arise living in blocks. Noisy neighbours revolving door subletting and holiday letting, alterations that make living next door unbearable or take oe the halls and grounds with skips and piles of rubble or lead to a patchwork quilt of knocked out bricks for wastes flues and satellite dishes, let alone people falling out over the scope cost and fairness let alone need for works, with no means to have it independantly determined and precious little case law to help. take a look at the standard documents and try and find the means for enforcement of covenants and if you can find it as it by no means compulsory, look at what hurdles you have to go to Court who in turn can’t set precedent until it is heard in a higher court.
Oh well they said in the Act they wouldset up an ombudsman, maybe and erm not sure what powers they would have, and it is 10 years on.
In short dont hold your breath,