Strengthening leaseholder protections over charges and services: consultation

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Consultation topic

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) is seeking views and feedback from leaseholders on how to implement the new requirements of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024.

It includes measures to improve the rights of existing leaseholders and help them better hold their landlords to account by increasing transparency of service charges and building insurance policies, as well as by tackling unjustified litigation costs. This will help leaseholders to better scrutinise and challenge unfair fees and charges as well as the reasonableness of the services they pay for.

The consultation also seeks views on new proposals for reform around the charges leaseholders pay and services they receive. These include the UK government commitments set out in the Written Ministerial Statement of 21 November 2024 to reform the major works regime and introduce mandatory qualifications for managing agents.



Key areas of focus


The consultation has over 200 questions, and we believe that the areas that will affect SNG leasehold customers the most are highlighted below:

  • Question 24 to 27: how SNG share requests for payment (and what SNG has spent it on),
  • Question 116 to 118: introducing mandatory reserve funds to put money aside for future major works (for example if a lift broke down),
  • Question 128: an increase in section 20 thresholds (where landlords must consult on major works if they go over a certain amount),
  • Question 155 to 157: how SNG communicate service charges with customers (i.e. move from paper documents to digital channels).

But you can complete the whole consultation as there are also questions on insurance transparency, litigation costs, changes to how fixed service charges can be challenged and mandatory qualifications for managing agents.


Basic information

Bodies responsible for the consultation

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Welsh Government.



Duration

This consultation will last for 12 weeks from 4 July 2025 to 26 September 2025.



Enquiries

For any enquiries about the consultation please contact: protectingleaseholders@communities.gov.uk



How to respond

You may respond by completing an online survey on Citizen Space or by using the link on the right of this page.


Alternatively, you can email your response to the questions in this consultation to protectingleaseholders@communities.gov.uk


When you reply it would be very useful if you confirm whether you are replying as an individual or submitting an official response on behalf of an organisation, and if so, include the name of the organisation and your position.

Consultation topic

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) is seeking views and feedback from leaseholders on how to implement the new requirements of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024.

It includes measures to improve the rights of existing leaseholders and help them better hold their landlords to account by increasing transparency of service charges and building insurance policies, as well as by tackling unjustified litigation costs. This will help leaseholders to better scrutinise and challenge unfair fees and charges as well as the reasonableness of the services they pay for.

The consultation also seeks views on new proposals for reform around the charges leaseholders pay and services they receive. These include the UK government commitments set out in the Written Ministerial Statement of 21 November 2024 to reform the major works regime and introduce mandatory qualifications for managing agents.



Key areas of focus


The consultation has over 200 questions, and we believe that the areas that will affect SNG leasehold customers the most are highlighted below:

  • Question 24 to 27: how SNG share requests for payment (and what SNG has spent it on),
  • Question 116 to 118: introducing mandatory reserve funds to put money aside for future major works (for example if a lift broke down),
  • Question 128: an increase in section 20 thresholds (where landlords must consult on major works if they go over a certain amount),
  • Question 155 to 157: how SNG communicate service charges with customers (i.e. move from paper documents to digital channels).

But you can complete the whole consultation as there are also questions on insurance transparency, litigation costs, changes to how fixed service charges can be challenged and mandatory qualifications for managing agents.


Basic information

Bodies responsible for the consultation

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Welsh Government.



Duration

This consultation will last for 12 weeks from 4 July 2025 to 26 September 2025.



Enquiries

For any enquiries about the consultation please contact: protectingleaseholders@communities.gov.uk



How to respond

You may respond by completing an online survey on Citizen Space or by using the link on the right of this page.


Alternatively, you can email your response to the questions in this consultation to protectingleaseholders@communities.gov.uk


When you reply it would be very useful if you confirm whether you are replying as an individual or submitting an official response on behalf of an organisation, and if so, include the name of the organisation and your position.

Page published: 05 Sep 2025, 03:19 PM