Andrew Bulmer, Chief Executive of The Property Institute, said:
“Many of the announced reforms were anticipated, including forthcoming bills on energy and transport, and a renters’ rights bill incorporating the abolition of Section 21. These were widely trailed in advance.
“It was less certain whether the Government would prioritise leasehold and commonhold reform amid an already crowded agenda, but it is encouraging to see the proposals for this particular bill. This new legislation will go further, introducing greater powers for residents to take control, an end to the sale of leasehold flats, controls on forfeiture, and regulation of ground rents. We await the details on the ministers’ intentions regarding these reforms, but there is a clear opportunity for such tenure reform to introduce practical and proportionate regulation for our sector and improving transparency and upfront information for leaseholders.
“The introduction of the Great British Energy and a focus on clean energy production gives clear indication that the Government has its eye on the 2050 Net Zero targets, and we hope that in its ambition to lower energy bills and reduce carbon emissions, it also looks at removing barriers to decarbonising leasehold blocks and to make fair provisions for grant funding for retrofits and energy efficiency improvements for those in ‘vertical village’ communities.
“Notably, building safety and the remediation of unsafe buildings was absent from today’s speech; we urge Government to take notice of the immediate need to fund and fix the thousands of unsafe buildings.
“The new Government’s broad intention to improve living standards is clear and most welcome. The common debate around housing focuses on numbers, with little mention or consideration of quality and living experience. The Property Institute has been advocating for the need to improve the living standards and experience of resident communities and we are pleased to see the government’s attention on this.”
