Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of legal protections preventing leaseholders from being pursued for (a) service-charge and (b) balancing-charge debts relating to periods before they acquired their property.

The government recognises the importance of potential buyers having the information they need to decide whether a home is right for them.

There is already a requirement under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 that any information that would help a prospective homebuyer to make an informed decision must not be hidden or omitted.

We would strongly advise prospective buyers and their legal representative to check that all relevant information has been provided. If this information was not provided at the time of purchase, a legal representative could advise on possible options.