Leasehold reform

Last week the Government have announced major leasehold reform that will see ground rents capped at £250 a year, a long overdue step that will make a real difference to leaseholders in Gloucester.

The Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Steve Reed, have confirmed the cap as part of a wider package of measures aimed at supporting leaseholders across the country. The change will bring relief to families who have faced unfair and escalating charges for years.

I have met many local residents here in Gloucester who have been ripped off for far too long. This cap will save some families hundreds of pounds a year and finally puts an end to one of the worst injustices in the leasehold system. I also really welcome the Government’s commitment to ban new leasehold flats, delivering on Labour's manifesto pledge to bring to an end the outdated leasehold model.

This important action to support leaseholders with the cost of living comes after years of inaction and neglect from the Conservatives. Meanwhile, the Green Party didn’t even mention Leasehold in their manifesto. This is change that only a Labour Government can bring about.

Alongside the cap, the Government has published the draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill, which will strengthen the rights and protections of more than five million leaseholders. The Moving to Commonhold consultation has also opened, giving people the chance to shape the next phase of reform.

The announcement also builds on the recently passed Renters Rights Act and Labour’s landmark planning reforms, aimed at ensuring everyone has a safe and secure home.

If you own a flat, you can be forced to pay ground rents that can become completely unaffordable. We said we'd be on the side of leaseholders – which is why today we are capping ground rent – helping millions of leaseholders by saving them money and giving them control over their home.

The leasehold system has tainted the dream of home ownership for so many. We are taking action where others have failed – strengthening home ownership and calling time on leasehold for good.

This is fantastic news for leaseholders in Gloucester who have been trapped in an unfair system for too long. The Conservatives promised to fix this problem back in 2017 yet failed. I am proud that a Labour Government has delivered where the previous Tory Government failed. When I stood to be your local MP in July 2024, our manifesto promised this reform, and I’m delighted this protection for leaseholders is being brought about with Labour.