Commonhold and Leasehold Reform

Sarah Hall Excerpts

Tuesday 27th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Matthew Pennycook]

We want to act as quickly as possible, particularly to bring in the new consumer protections provided for by the 2024 Act.

[Sarah Hall (Warrington South) (Lab/Co-op)]

I welcome the statement and the progress that it represents, and I put on record my thanks to the National Leasehold Campaign, which has spent many years campaigning tirelessly on behalf of existing leaseholders, who have been trapped in an unfair and archaic system. For the benefit of Warrington South leaseholders who are trying to understand the 40-year peppercorn cap, will the Minister explain how the 40-year cap was arrived at and whether there is any scope for the transition to be brought forward so that relief is felt sooner?

[Matthew Pennycook]

I echo my hon. Friend’s remarks about the NLC. I also thank others, such as the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership, Sir Peter Bottomley, who has now left this place, and other champions, including my hon. Friend the Member for Ellesmere Port and Bromborough (Justin Madders), who has stood up for leaseholders so vocally over many years. The rationale for the ground rent approach that we have chosen is set out in a policy paper that we published this morning. The Select Committee will be able to scrutinise the draft Bill and provide suggestions—that is the whole point of the pre-legislative scrutiny process.