The government is facing increased calls to accelerate its plans for a £250 ground rent cap, with reports suggesting a potential move to implement the measure in 2027, rather than the previously indicated 2028. This comes as a response to considerable pressure from within Parliament and from leasehold advocacy groups.
According to media reports, approximately 80 Members of Parliament, including former Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, have been actively lobbying ministers on this issue. Some MPs have reportedly threatened to rebel if the government's commitment to reforming the leasehold system, a key manifesto pledge, is diluted. The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee has also previously urged the government to introduce the ground rent cap without undue delay.
Despite these calls, Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook has previously stated that there are still several policy decisions to be finalised before the pace of implementation can be determined. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has confirmed that the government's current plan is to cap ground rents by 2028 at the latest.
However, the National Leasehold Campaign (NLC) argues that while they support the principle of a ground rent cap, bringing it forward by a single year does not address the urgency of the situation. The NLC has highlighted that leaseholders have been enduring a system they describe as fundamentally unfair, leading to unsellable homes and escalating costs. They contend that any further delay has significant consequences for individuals and families across the UK, causing financial and emotional distress.
The campaign group is resolute in its demand for the ground rent cap to be implemented immediately following Royal Assent, rather than adhering to an unspecified timetable set by ministers. They stress that the evidence for reform is conclusive, with ground rent being described as 'money taken for nothing', and argue that leaseholders have already waited far too long for meaningful action.