LEASEHOLD RESTRICTIONS ON FREEHOLDS

That this House is deeply concerned that new build houses are sold as freehold but have leasehold terms, also known as, fleecehold attached in the form of charges, including restrictive covenants on the need to apply for permission and pay a charge for any alterations and extensions, changes that fall outside the ambit of planning permissions and the sale of property; notes that this affects thousands of owners of new build houses; believes that this undermines the definition of freehold as permanent and absolute tenure of land or property with freedom to dispose of it at will; and urges the Government to investigate this practice as a matter of urgency and with a view to first clarifying the law and then outlawing this practice.