In response to pressure and in spite of support from his friends at LKP, the Housing Minister was forced to defend how slowly and inadequately his department is acting to “quickly” implement the last government’s Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act (LAFRA) and also bring to an end the injustice of “fleecehold”. You can read his statement of 21st November 2024 here.
You will see there is very little to suggest anything other than more talking, in spite of the government handing the big builders a shopping basket of 1.5M homes – all with a bonus injustice? Estate management charges seem to have somehow become “son of leasehold” in spite of our campaign for adoption and the findings of the CMA.
We say this:
The Housing Minister’s recent statement shows how harmful it has been to conflate Estate Management Charges with matters of tenure whether this is freehold or leasehold. There is nothing in it that removes the injustice of a subset of private homeowners paying for the upkeep of public open spaces. Only adoption will do this.
It appears this government is in favour of trapping more people in this injustice rather than meaningfully helping those of us who are trapped already. This is despite claiming to be a party of change which will tackle the foundation as the party for working people. This illusion is now completely shattered as it is clear that this Labour Party is actually in favour of developers, lobbyist and other vested interests maintaining their foot over our necks and our homes and creating an income stream from us.
We at Hornets are not going to give up because we are fighting for our homes and security, and we are fighting to live in dignity in our homes. We are going to speak out at every opportunity making our case that universal adoption is the only way to remove this injustice. #StopTheRotAdoptTheLot
Dr Cathy Priestley and Halima Ali 22nd November 2024
Campaign Coordinators (HorNets)
