Leasehold Law confuses flat owners

Master of the Rolls Lord Neuberger reflected on the risks of too much legislation being introduced too quickly and all too often is poorly drafted by over-pressed civil servants when he spoke at the annual conference of the Leasehold Advisory service (LEASE). He told an audience of property lawyers, managers, freeholders and leaseholders that this leads to cobbled, last-minute amendments and then the judiciary is then called upon to work out what was meant and intended, thus effectively becoming legislators. His comments were in tune with the conference delegates majority view – expressed several times during the day – that the law on residential leasehold should be consolidated and simplified. Delegates also felt, overwhelmingly on a show of hands, that there is little chance of the present government finding time to act on this in the foreseeable future. However, for many of people living in leasehold property, such improvements cannot come fast enough. Last year, over 25,000 of them contacted the Leasehold Advisory service for free legal advice on leasehold property related issues.