The Draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill

The government announced the introduction of the draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill in January 2026. This Bill proposes several reforms to the current flat ownership system, including:

· A ban on new flats being sold as leaseholds – they would need to be sold as commonhold properties, which the Government is pushing to become the default form of flat ownership; and

· A cap on ground rents at no more than £250 pa, which will be reduced to a peppercorn after a 40-year transitional period has passed.

The Housing, Communities and Local Government (‘HCLG’) Committee has now launched a short public inquiry into the Government’s draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill (‘the Bill’), which was published for pre-legislative scrutiny on 27 January 2026.

Strengthening Leaseholder Protections over Charges and Services – Consultation Summary

The Government has published an open consultation titled “Strengthening Leaseholder Protections over Charges and Services,” which runs until 26 September 2025. This consultation accompanies the implementation of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 and is part of the wider legislative programme designed to rebalance the leasehold system in favour of flat owners and occupiers.

The consultation targets the next phase of reforms: improving transparency around service charges, regulating managing agents, and reforming major works and reserve funds.

While all of these reforms seem to favour leaseholders, ultimately life may become more expensive, and some flats may be more difficult to sell as a result.

The End of Upward-Only Rent Reviews?

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, which had its first reading in the House of Commons on 10 July 2025, contains an unexpected ban on upward-only rent review clauses in new commercial leases. The Government has stated that the policy behind this ban is supporting smaller businesses who are struggling to keep up with open market rent reviews that only allow rent to rise, not fall.

The measure has generated concern among landlords and investors, particularly given the surprising lack of prior consultation on such a major reform in a sector that has historically operated with minimal statutory intervention. For now, the Bill remains in its early parliamentary stages and is highly susceptible to changes following lobbying, with its Second Reading due in September.

This article sets out the scope of the proposed ban and its implications for the commercial rental sector if passed as it currently stands.