Labour MP for Chester Samantha Dixon MBE welcomed the Bill, but questioned whether it would improve conditions for leaseholders.
“This Bill is an opportunity to rebalance the scales in favour of leaseholders, but the question remains: will it actually do so? Unfortunately, I and many others feel disappointed by the limited state of the Bill before us.
“It is often said that an empty vessel makes the loudest noise. We have heard a lot of noise, which may reveal the reality that this Bill is somewhat hollow.
“Thousands of leaseholders have been waiting for this Bill to arrive, and in the meantime they remain in a state of leasehold limbo, trapped by this iniquitous system. Many are unable to sell and move on with their lives.
“They are being forced into a game of poker in which the stakes could not be higher. Do leaseholders stick, and wait to buy their freehold or extend their lease—in itself, a depreciating asset — in the hope that Government promises to make it cheaper actually materialise; or do they twist, and pay these faceless offshore investment companies thousands of pounds?
“I do not know the answer, and I am not too sure the Government do either.”
Ms Dixon also deplored that the regulation of property managing agents was missing from the Bill.
“The single biggest rip-off in the leasehold system is service charges, and without robust regulation of this, it will continue and leaseholders will remain at the mercy of bad managing agents. On the Opposition Benches, we are committed to implementing the recommendations of Lord Best’s working group, which were published by the Government four long years ago and on which they have sat …”
“I am glad to see this Bill in front of us, but from listening to this debate, it is still clear that there remains a great deal of work ahead before these fine ambitions become a reality. In fact, it is becoming increasingly clear that we need a Labour Government to truly deliver for the so many people stuck in this feudal system.”
https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/049c012d-0c14-4997-bfcb-c4c1a1c1ac69
Related posts:
Lord Best report on regulating managing agents and service charges to be unveiled tomorrow
RICS dreams up another feeble ‘code of practice’, as Lord Best’s statutory regulator of property managers falls victim to Covid
Insiders carve up code of practice for property managers – having been silent on systemic abuses for years!
LKP tells BBC that property managers can’t regulate themselves. It needs government
Retirement housebuilders will only reform when they are forced to do so, Lord Best tells property conference
‘Even Del Boy had limits, Mr Moskovitz,’ Stella Creasy tells MPs
