Call for change to 'feudal' leaseholds

IT'S a form of ownership in place for some five million homes around the country - but even the Government describes the leasehold system as "feudal" and has promised "fundamental reform" Leaseholds give the householder the right to live in a property for a fixed number of years - but there have been mounting concerns about practices in the sector, including over the levying of hefty charges and a lack of transparency.

- ROB PARSONS

This week in the Commons, after Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove appeared to confirm reports he was dropping plans to dismantle the system, his Ministers faced crossparty calls to fix the problems of leasehold.

And your Northern Agenda writer picked up on a strong North West contingent calling for change - not surprising given the region's rate of leasehold dwellings (31% of its overall housing stock) is the highest outside London.

Mike Amesbury, Labour MP for Weaver Vale in Cheshire, said he first learned about the "absolute fraud of a system" in 2017.