The Commission received over 1,100 responses to the consultation on enfranchisement reform.

These responses are from a wide range of interested stakeholders including lawyers, surveyors, leaseholders, landlords, and representative groups.

The Commission has not yet categorised the 1,100 consultation responses to enable them to identify how many responses are from leaseholders. The Commission’s initial estimate is that around three-quarters of responses are from leaseholders.

It is Law Commission policy to publish a full analysis of consultation responses for all its projects, so this information will be published in due course.

Following on from the 2017 consultation referred to in the answer of 9 October 2018, to Question UIN174628, the Department published a technical consultation on how to implement the Government’s reforms to the leasehold system in England on 15 October. This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/implementing-reforms-to-the-leasehold-system . The consultation marked the next step in the Government’s commitment to tackle excessive and unjustifiable practices in the leasehold sector, making home ownership fairer for all. The consultation closed on 26 November, we will publish the Government response in due course and bring forward legislation when Parliamentary time allows.

The Law Commission's consultation entitled 'Leasehold home ownership: buying your freehold or extending your lease' closed on 7 January 2019. We are informed that the Commission has received numerous, and detailed, responses to the consultation which will require detailed analysis to inform the final report and recommendations. The expected date for the publication of the final report is Summer 2019. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government continue to discuss the timetable for the remainder of the project with the Law Commission.

The Government's consultation 'Tackling unfair practices in the leasehold market' ran for eight weeks from 25 July to 19 September 2017. The consultation received 6,075 responses; 5,701 via an online survey and 374 via email and post. Of those responding to the online survey providing background information, 5,336 respondents said they were private individuals, of which 2,790 answered a follow up question confirming they were a leaseholder living in a house, with 1,699 confirming they were a leaseholder living in a flat and 431 identifying themselves as a freeholder. 332 respondents identified themselves as replying to the consultation on behalf of an organisation.

A full breakdown of responses by type and question can be found at Annex A of the Government response, published on 21 December 2017 available at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/tackling-unfair-practices-in-the-leasehold-market.

The Government also ran a separate technical consultation, ‘Implementing reforms to the leasehold system’ during 15 October 2018 to 26 November 2018, and is still analysing the responses. As part of our consultation questions we did not ask the respondent to identify whether they were a leaseholder. However, we received 1030 responses which were completed as personal views.

The Government's consultation 'Tackling unfair practices in the leasehold market' ran for eight weeks from 25 July to 19 September 2017, and the response was published on 21 December 2017.

During that period, the then Secretary of State met Long Harbour and the Home Builders Federation and had discussions on the use of open-ended ground rent arrangements on new build leasehold properties. In addition, the then Minister of State for Housing, met the Building Societies Association to have similar discussions.

The Government also ran a separate consultation, ‘Implementing reforms to the leasehold system’ during 15 October 2018 to 26 November 2018 and is still analysing the responses.

During this period, the Housing Minister met the Home Builders’ Federation on 5 November 2018 to discuss leasehold reforms. On 8 November 2018, the Secretary of State held a round table with developers and investors, setting out his concerns regarding onerous ground rents and the lack of redress for existing leaseholders. The answer to question UIN189727 of 19 November 2018 details the attendees of the round table.

A full list of ministerial meetings up until 30 September 2018 is published at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dclg-ministerial-data and is updated regularly.

Ministers have engaged with industry on several occasions to discuss issues facing existing leaseholders. On 5 November, Minister Wheeler met with the Home Builders Federation and raised the issue of consumer redress in the leasehold market. On 8 November, the Secretary of State held a round table with developers and investors, setting out his concerns regarding onerous ground rents and the lack of redress for existing leaseholders. The answer to question UIN189727 of 19 November 2018, details the attendees of the round table.

A full list of ministerial meetings up until 30 September 2018 is published at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dclg-ministerial-data and is updated regularly.

On 21 December 2017, the Government set out a package of measures to tackle abuses and unfair practices in the leasehold market. This includes introducing legislation to prohibit the development of new build leasehold houses, other than in exceptional circumstances, and restricting ground rents in newly established leases of houses and flats to a peppercorn.

We are also working with the Law Commission to support existing leaseholders - including making buying a freehold or extending a lease easier, faster, fairer and cheaper.

We will bring forward legislation as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

I thank the hon. Lady for her very important question. The scandal over feudal leaseholds on new build is absolutely disgraceful. We are working very hard with the Law Commission to change the rules as to how this should go forward. I am delighted to say that some developers have got the point. In South Derbyshire, we now have big signs up on new build saying, “Freehold houses for sale here”.

The Government response to the consultation on ‘Tackling unfair practices in the leasehold market’ set out a range of measures to cut out unfair and abusive practices within the leasehold system. This included introducing legislation to prohibit the development of new build leasehold houses, other than in exceptional circumstances, and restricting ground rents in newly established leases of houses and flats to a peppercorn (zero financial value).

For existing leaseholders, the Government wants to see developer compensation schemes going further and faster, with support extended to all those with onerous ground rents, including second hand buyers and for customers to be proactively contacted. We will be keeping a close eye on progress and will consider measures that could be pursued to take action if necessary.

We want to make it easier for existing leaseholders to exercise their right to buy their freehold, or extend their lease, for this to be faster, fairer and cheaper, and to be available as soon as possible.