Northwich MP says the Government is kicking the issue “into the long grass”.
Mike Amesbury, the Labour MP for Weaver Vale has voiced his concerns that the Government is attempting to avoid addressing the leasehold scandal—effectively kicking the issue “into the long grass”.
Amesbury has long since opposed the practice, whereby a leaseholder owns the property but not the accompanying land. In some cases, this has led to leaseholders trapped in properties with spiralling ground rents or burdensome permission fees.
Residents have contacted Amesbury for help airing their grievances over the matter. He has subsequently raised the issue before ministers in Parliament and with residents at public meetings. Recently, he pressed James Brokenshire, the Housing and Communities Secretary, “to provide a specific date on when the Government plans to help those trapped” in burdensome leases.
Brokenshire responded by stating: “we’ll be consulting over the summer about how we ban new leaseholds and restrict ground rents”. He also added that the Government was waiting for the Law Commission’s input, which would be available at the end of the year.
Amesbury is displeased with the response of the Government: “There’s a lot of talk at the moment but few details, I do genuinely fear that the government is trying to kick this into the long grass.”
“I’ve been contacted by many constituents over this issue, unable to sell their homes and also unable to have that added security of knowing they can buy the land and not simply be expected to pay rents which are just going to go up and up.”
He added: “I’ll continue working with MPs from all parties to fight this deeply unjust practice.”
From: Northwich Guardian
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