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Radical plans to shake-up leaseholds unveiled
R adical reforms allowing flats to be sold with freehold title (as part of a commonhold) have been proposed by the Law Commission. A raft of changes have been suggested after a two-year probe into leaseholds. The investigation followed furore around the sale of houses on estates with leaseholds which had ground rents that were due to double every 10 years. Thousands of families say they are stuck in homes that are virtually impossible to sell due to the leaseholds. The Law Commission proposals, if made law, would make it easier for leaseholders to buy their freehold, extend their lease or eliminate ground rents. Property sector lends support to Pride month
is limited to just those who completed the survey,” says Will Martin, founding member of UKCAG. One of those who responded said: “I feel hopeless. I feel as a mother I cannot provide a safe home for my child or be a good parent.” Another wrote: “I struggle each day to keep myself alive due to the financial worries of ending up homeless and bankrupt.” Eight out of 10 survey respondents say that their relationships with friends and family had been affected, and 28 per cent say their relationship with their partner had become strained. recommended a new right for leaseholders with very long leases to 'buy out' the ground rent under their lease without also having to extend the length of their lease. Professor Nick Hopkins, commissioner for property law, said: “The leasehold system is not working for millions of homeowners in England and Wales. We have heard how the current law leaves them feeling like they don't truly own their home. “Our reforms will make a real difference by giving leaseholders greater control over their homes, offering a cheaper and easier route out of leasehold, and establishing commonhold as the preferred alternative system.”
The Law Commission’s proposals go further by suggesting that existing leaseholders should have the right to a lease extension for a term of 990 years. Currently, the law only allows extensions are only available for 90 or 50 year. It recommended there should be no ongoing ground rent under this extended lease, and landlords should not be able to use the lease extension process to impose new obligations. This would put an end to the onerous ground rents that many leaseholders have to pay while at the same time making it much easier for homeowners to sell these properties. The Law Commission also
One proposal would give homeowners the right to extend their lease for nearly 1,000 years while at the same time removing any obligation to pay rent to the freeholder. The proposals come in response to a scandal that has seen thousands of homeowners facing inflating ground rents and fees by developers and investment firms. Rules to ban the sale of houses with leaseholds and also outlaw developers from selling leases containing obligations to pay for ground rent were announced last year But they have yet to be brought into effect and they didn’t affect those homeowners who already had houses with leaseholds.
People in homes with cladding face mental strain
N ine out of 10 people who live in flats with cladding say their mental health has suffered since the Grenfell Tower blaze. A study has found that almost a quarter of those surveyed say they have had suicidal feelings. Anxiety about safety and the cost of removing cladding was cited as being the main worry.
UK Cladding Action Group (UKCAG) carried out the study, which found that 90 percent of people said their mental health had deteriorated as a direct result of the cladding issue. Residents are calling on the government to take immediate action to address the situation. “Given the sheer number of unsafe buildings, it is inconceivable the problem
P roperty professionals who set up a portal to help disadvantaged people the early days of the coronavirus crisis have raised funds to safely house LGBTQ+ young people. The people behind Do Some Good supported Pride month in June by supporting AKT, a charity that supports LGBTQ+ people aged 16 to 25 find a safe place to live. It reaches out to those who need help finding a safe home are those who are or are facing homelessness or are living in a hostile environment. Since the outbreak of Covid-19, AKT has seen an increase in cases due to young people being confined and forcibly being outed to families and guardians who disapprove of an individual’s sexuality. Andrew Deverell-Smith, founder and chief executive of deverellsmith, which is a partner of Do Some Good, said: “The property industry must come together to support the LGBTQ+ community and we’re proud that Do Some Good is pledging to support these young people during these difficult times.”
Lockdown leads to big rise in high-speed broadband sales
T he coronavirus lockdown has led to a 99 per cent increase in sales of high- speed broadband, a study has found. Research by MoneySuperMarket found that sales data revealed that purchases of the highest speeds
found. Emma Spencer, senior channel manager at MoneySuperMarket, said: “Lockdown has had an impact on various aspects of our lives, with many of us now relying on a strong, stable internet connection in order to work from home.”
(61+ Mbs) saw a spike after the government advised working from home where possible. High-speed broadband sales nearly doubled in the first three weeks from when Covid-19 social distancing and lockdown measures were implemented, the price comparison website
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