The government today confirmed plans to introduce new rules aimed at providing leaseholders and those living on freehold estates with more rights and protections. Under the current system, individuals can face charges for landlord permission for simple requests, such as keeping a pet, with no clear oversight of costs.
New legislation will grant the Secretary of State powers to cap these fees, ensuring they are genuinely reasonable. These powers will also extend to privately managed estates, addressing similar charges for minor cosmetic property changes.
The legislative changes are also intended to address administrative fees, which landlords can charge for providing documents like building safety certificates or for notifying them of a change in mortgage provider. A public consultation will be launched to determine the scope and amounts for these caps.
Additionally, the government intends to introduce independent regulation for property agents. This would require agents to obtain licenses and appropriate qualifications to operate, with a regulator having the power to revoke licenses if standards are not met. The government stated these measures will support over 5 million existing leaseholders and future homeowners.