The Conveyancing Association (CA) has vowed to continue its fight to reform the leasehold transaction process, which it claims is fraught with delays and overcharging.
The CA is campaigning to create a positive home-moving process, and says the government has its head in the sand on the issue.
It has criticised the response to a question by Baroness Hayter in the House of Lords in which the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) said further regulation of landlords would be burdensome. It said leaseholders in dispute with their landlord can apply to First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to seek redress.
However, the CA says the First-tier Tribunal is only granted jurisdiction in the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 over administration fees in respect of approvals or consents, and there is no form of redress for items such as notices of assignment, deeds of covenant, certificates of compliance or transfers of shares.
Beth Rudolf, the CA’s director of delivery, is demanding action to develop a much “fairer system, with transparent and reasonable costs”.
The association is calling for an update of the Leasehold Reform Act 2002, with reforms that include an obligation to provide the data required within a 20-day timescale.
Rudolf also wishes to create a lease administrator’s register, from which guidance and reasonable fees and timescales can be guaranteed.
