There was welcome cross-party and sector turnout for today’s all-party meeting on fire safety. Varied discussion came from building safety experts and campaigners, MPs and effected leaseholders.
Leasehold Knowledge Partnership and National Leasehold Campaign: Abolish Leasehold gave compelling leadership in discussion.
Housing Minister, Lord Greenhalgh, gave a helpful update on the Government’s leasehold reform plans and the progress of the Ground Rent Bill which was introduced on 12th May.
The direction of travel was made very clear - Commonhold is the way forward.
Progress is welcome but the pressure of time continues to rise for those still trapped in dangerous cladding-covered flats and those unable to sell their current leasehold properties due to constrictive insurance costs.
My advice to the Government remains: do what is immediately necessary. Bail out these innocent people trapped in unsafe apartments. Make the arrangements to chase those who are responsible when it is possible to do so but do not leave the lives of innocent leaseholders perilously suspended in uncertainty.
This is the obvious solution that will work most effectively, most quickly.
