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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2015 to Question 222794, what progress his Department has made on exploring what further support can be offered to leaseholders.

As stated in answer to Question 222794, this Government is always looking at what support can be offered to leaseholders. Residential leasehold is a complex subject and it is important that any initiatives taken forward work as intended and without creating unnecessary costs and burdens.

We continue to work with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Association of Retirement Housing Managers on the detailed work required to update the Codes of Practice that apply to the private residential leasehold sector, before being approved by the Secretary of State.

We are considering the responses received to the discussion paper published in March 2015 on how to make it easier to gain statutory recognition of a tenants' association to determine the way forward.

At the Government's request and in collaboration with a range of interested parties, the Leasehold Advisory Service has led the development of an information sheet for prospective purchasers of leasehold flats. We hope to see the final version agreed and made available later this year.