Leasehold: still a life sentence?

Despite legislative progress, leaseholders remain trapped by rising costs, complex rules, and an uncertain market. Based on evidence from Propertymark members and leaseholders, this report sets out why we continue to campaign for reform to go further and faster.

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Eight years after our landmark Leasehold: A Life Sentence report brought national attention to the scale of the challenges leaseholders face, significant reforms have been introduced. However, despite legislative change and years of political commitment, many leaseholders remain unable to sell their homes, face rising costs and have limited ability to challenge charges, creating consequences for both consumers and the wider housing market.

In partnership with...
National Leasehold Campaign Leasehold Knowledge Partnersh[p

Leasehold: still a life sentence? is the third report in our ongoing examination of the leasehold sector. Leasehold: A life sentence? published in 2018, highlighted widespread problems affecting leaseholders and helped shape the reform debate. Our first follow-up, Leasehold 2023: Has Anything Changed?, showed that many concerns persisted. This report explores the progress made since then and the challenges that remain.

This latest report draws on evidence from more than 200 Propertymark members and 1,200 leaseholders, ​​​​examining the current state of the leasehold market and explores why many consumers still feel trapped by a system that is widely recognised as being in need of reform.

Key findings

93%

of leaseholders surveyed would not buy a leasehold property again

86%

of leaseholders saw an increase in service charge in the past 24 months

89%

of leaseholders say it is difficult to challende unfair service charges

Less than

1%

of estate agents reported selling a leasehold property has become easier in the past 24 months

Over the past 24 months, over

78%

of estate agents have taken at least one leasehold property off the market due to it being unsellable

Approximately

74%

of estate agents reported onerous service charges as the main challenge to selling leasehold flats

In this report

Readers will find:

  • Analysis of progress made since the original 2018 report.
  • Evidence from leaseholders and property professionals.
  • The impact of service charges, ground rents and building safety costs.
  • Real-life case studies demonstrating the challenges many leaseholders continue to face.
  • Propertymark's recommendations for further reform.
Download the full report
Leasehold: still a life sentence.pdf 2.0 MB

Topics

Leasehold property