The government used the Queen’s Speech to confirm that the Leasehold Reform Bill would be carried through, with government already committing to ban ground rents on most new residential leases from June 2022.

Building on this, the Government says it remains committed to:

  • transforming the experience of leaseholders by making it easier and cheaper for them to extend their lease or buy their freehold, and simpler and quicker to take control of the management of their building;
  • better protecting and empowering leaseholders by giving them more information on what their costs cover and ensuring they are not subject to any unjustified legal costs and can claim their own legal costs from their landlord;
  • banning new leasehold houses so that all new houses are freehold from the outset other than in exceptional circumstances; and
  • delivering a reformed commonhold system as an alternative to leasehold ownership.

The government says this is “part of a wider housing reform agenda to level up homeownership”, referencing tackling decent homes and creating “a secure path to ownership”.

Also in the Queen’s Speech, government confirmed the Social Housing (Regulation) Bill would be carried forward, as well as the introduction of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill and Renters Reform Bill.