Ending Fleecehold and the Great Property Rip-Off

For over a century, Liberal Democrats have fought to reform leasehold – a system that still leaves millions of people trapped, overcharged, and powerless in their own homes. Today, 1 in 5 homes in England are leasehold.

The cladding scandal laid bare the true cost of leasehold’s failures. Leaseholders have paid excessive fees, lived in unsafe buildings and faced mounting frustration as developers and managers evade responsibility. Nearly a decade after Grenfell, building safety remains a crisis, and rogue developers continue to exploit loopholes while residents foot the bill.

The average new build now has 157 defects - nearly doubling since 2005. And complaints about building insurance claims have hit record highs. 

We need to get tough on building standards, clamp down on unregulated property management and finally end the great property rip off for leaseholders.

Today, Liberal Democrat members passed new policy with a plan for bold reforms to protect homeowners and hold the industry to account:

• Establish a new property regulator to license and enforce standards for property managers and agents.
   
• Strengthen accountability in the construction industry with clear rights for homebuyers and tougher oversight of building inspectors.
   
• Cap unreasonable service and estate management charges and abolish ground rents on all existing leases.
   
• Give leaseholders the power to take collective ownership of management companies and common areas.
   
• Empower local authorities to adopt shared roads and public spaces, sanction developers who fail to deliver, and enforce repairs.

The time for empty promises is over. Leasehold leaves people vulnerable, trapped by unfair charges, and unsafe in their homes. 

The Liberal Democrats are committed to abolishing leasehold entirely, capping ground rents and ensuring dangerous cladding is removed without cost to residents.

We will hold developers and property managers accountable. 

We will give residents control and end the rip off.

Leaseholders deserve fairness, safety, and dignity in their homes - and these reforms are a vital step towards that goal.