We were invited to give evidence to the commons committee stage of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill on 16th January 2024. We shared the time slot with leasehold campaigners but feel we got our major message across: STOP THE ROT ADOPT THE LOT!
This is the first time there has been any real acknowledgement that regulation alone isn’t the answer. We made the point that there is a risk of legitimising a model which should be scrapped for estates which are not truly private gated communities.
The bottom line is that we were able to introduce the underlying problem of lack of adoption and describe the effects of the current system on unsuspecting home buyers.
Halima vividly described the effect of estate charges and lack of adoption in her case.
It appears that this time they listened and heard. In a later session Richard Fuller MP grilled CMA representatives and gave them “homework”. He asked for them to write to the committee ahead of their Market Study report with ideas about how the Bill could include measures for more adoption.
There is some uncertainty about this Bill being the vehicle for more adoption – it may need legislation of it’s own, but we feel that the acknowledgement of the lack of adoption as the problem to be tackled is a big move forward. We hope the next big step will come from the CMA’s Market Study at the end of February.
If you prefer to read the transcript you can do so here.
Amazing courage from both of you to sit there and share your experiences!
Thank you – it was a bit nerve wracking. We were comforted that any points we did not raise are in our written submission to the committee. For instance there was more detail about how regulation will not prevent a two tier system or restore the value of our homes – in contrast to universal adoption.
Thank you both so much for your hard work and for representing us so well at the committee. It brought a tear to my eye as I felt proud of you even though I don’t know you. It is a relief to know that someone else out there “gets it” and is fighting the fight.
Thank you!