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 Government has now brought into force a number of provisions under the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024, implementing parts of the Law Commission’s recommendations relating to the Right to Manage (RTM). These were commenced by the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 (Commencement No. 3) Regulations 2025, which came into force on 3 March 2025.

While these reforms improve the existing RTM process in important ways, many of the more far-reaching recommendations remain outstanding and may be included in a future Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill. This raises the practical question for flat owners: should they proceed with an RTM claim now, or wait to see if further changes are made?

The property investment landscape has been facing increasing challenges in recent years, and the proposed Renters (Reform) Bill — currently progressing through Parliament — could represent a significant turning point for private landlords.

The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024

The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 (LaFRA) represents a significant shift in property ownership laws in England and Wales, aiming to enhance the rights of residential leaseholders, this being flat and house owners.

While it received Royal Assent on 24^th May 2024 only a few provisions were brought into effect then, and it wasn’t until the end of January that the first change relating to enfranchisement rights came into effect. This was the removal of the requirement to have owned your flat or house for two years before you could claim an extended lease or the freehold to your house.

Now a number of provisions of the LaFRA relating to the Right to Manage (RTM) have been brought

The Government has recently provided updates on the phased implementation of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 (LaFRA), which represents a landmark shift in property law aimed at improving rights and protections for leaseholders. It has also enacted one of the many provisions.

We explore the latest developments and upcoming reforms following recent statements by the Housing Minister, as well as their implications for leaseholders and freeholders alike.

The King’s Speech on 17 July 2024 promised a number of changes to the current state of leasehold and rental law – some of which we have covered in previous articles. Here we will discuss the proposed changes to No-Fault Evictions under section 21 of the Housing Act 1988.

Currently, once the contractual term of an assured shorthold tenancy ends, landlords can evict tenants without providing any reason. They just need to serve a “Section 21” notice on their tenants, providing a minimum of 2 months’ notice and satisfy certain pre-conditions. If the tenant does not leave during the notice period, they can issue court proceedings to obtain possession. Proceedings for possession cannot be commenced less than six months after the s.21 notice is given (with exceptions).

The King’s Speech confirmed that the government will ban no fault evictions as part of the Renter’s Rights Bill. This is part of a plan to give greater rights and protection to people renting their homes.

The Bill is currently at the report stage in the House of Commons, having had its first and second readings and has now passed through the committee stage with some amendments.

The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 received royal assent in the wash up just prior to the election.
 
It included some of the changes around the rights of leaseholders of flats and houses to obtain extended leases and the freehold that The Law Commission had recommended, i.e. providing for leases to be extended by 990 rather than 90 years, doing away with the need to have owned for two years to qualify for an extended lease and bringing more buildings within the right to enfranchise or manage by increasing the threshold of non-residential parts from 25% to 50%.

As we have discussed in our previous articles, it was announced in the King’s Speech that the Government’s legislative programme would include draft legislation on leasehold and commonhold reform: the “Draft Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill.”

This implied that the Government might leave the previous Conservative Government’s legislation, The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024, on the shelf and perhaps implement a wider set of reforms consolidating the existing law following the recommendations made by the Law Commission.

In this second article in our series of three we look at what it means for residential leaseholders and their landlords following the Government’s confirmation that it will enact the remaining Law Commission recommendations around enfranchisement rights (leaseholders rights to extend their lease or acquire the freehold to their house or block of flats).

The Law Commission’s recommendations are set out in its report “Leasehold Home Ownership: Buying Your Freehold or Extending Your Lease”. The stated intention of the recommendations was to “help make our homes our own rather than someone else’s asset. They are intended to make the law work better for leaseholders”. Their report was described as a root and branch review of enfranchisement rights.

In this, the first of a series of three articles, we look at what it means for residential leaseholders and their landlords with regard to enfranchisement rights (leaseholders rights to extend their lease or acquire the freehold of their house or block) now that the Government has stated that it will implement the provisions of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024.

The King’s Speech of 17^th July 2024 announced that the Government’s legislative programme would include draft legislation on leasehold and commonhold reform: the “Draft Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill.”

This implied that the Government might have in mind leaving the conservative’s legislation, The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024, on the shelf and perhaps implement a wider set of reforms and consolidate the existing law following the recommendations made by the Law Commission.