Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook has released outline details and a timeline for the further consultations which he insists are required before leasehold reform can be undertaken. 

Each consultation targets specific areas of concern and requires secondary legislation to ensure greater transparency and fairness:

• January 2025 will see the commencement of the removal of the two-year restriction on enfranchisement and lease extension claims from the point of property purchase so that leaseholders will no longer have to wait;

• In Spring 2025, the UK Government commence the provisions on the Right to Manage which increase access to the right for leaseholders in mixed-use buildings, alongside reforming costs and voting rights;

• No date has been set for the consultations on the details of the Act’s ban on building insurance remuneration;

• Summer 2025 will see the consultation on the valuation rates used to calculate the cost of enfranchisement premiums;

• 2025 is the only timeframe stated for a consultation on implementing the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act’s new consumer protection provisions for homeowners on freehold estates, and on service charges and legal costs;

• Options to reduce the prevalence of private estate management arrangements to end the injustice of ‘fleecehold’ will also see a consultation released in 2025 with no specific date set.

Pennycook says all the secondary legislation will need approval from Parliament.

A statement from agents’ body Propertymark says: “Propertymark remains steadfast in supporting our members and advocating for reforms that promote transparency, fairness, and affordability within the housing market. As these consultations progress and legislative changes take shape, we will provide updates and guidance to ensure a smooth transition. Propertymark welcomes further leasehold reforms to strengthen consumer protection and make the process of buying, selling, and renting homes easier.”