A Bill to amend the law relating to long leaseholders; to confer further powers on leaseholders; to make provision in relation to leaseholders in local council owned property and property owned by other social landlords; to confer powers on landlords to create sinking funds; to make requirements of landlords relating to the management of property; for conencted purposes
In progressCurrent stage: 2nd reading (Commons)
The story so farThe Leasehold Reform Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 5 December 2007 by Simon Hughes (Liberal Democrat). It is now at second reading in the House of Commons. Second reading is the first debate on the overall principle of the bill; if the bill clears it, detailed committee scrutiny follows.
What the bill does
<p>The Bill seeks to strengthen the rights of long leaseholders of residential premises. It tackles the charges that some long leaseholders of social landlords face as a result of major works being carried out to achieve the Government’s decent homes target by 2010.</p><p><strong>Key areas</strong></p><ul><li>Increases the involvement of long leaseholders in decisions over major works to their homes</li><li>Limits the monthly charge that someone could be required to pay to their local authority landlord in respect of major works</li><li>Requires the Secretary of State to make regulations under which local authorities would be able to establish sinking funds to which long leaseholders would be required to make contributions</li><li>Requires the Secretary of State to make regulations concerning authorities’ powers/duties to buy back all or part of a long leaseholder’s property on request. </li></ul><p> </p><p> </p>
