Morning, Friday, 6th February 2026
Online
This conference will examine next steps for leasehold and commonhold policy in England and Wales.
It will bring stakeholders and policymakers together to assess anticipated provisions in the forthcoming draft Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill, expected later this year. Delegates will discuss the ongoing implementation of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 and how the Bill might build on reforms, such as easier lease extensions and freehold purchase. Measures in the Commonhold White Paper will also be a focus, including proposals to restrict the sale of new leasehold flats and support the transition toward commonhold as the default tenure for multi-unit residential buildings.
Leaseholder rights, certainty for developers & support for commonhold
Attendees will consider areas for further legislative clarity, including the scope and timing of leasehold restrictions, the mechanisms for enabling leaseholders to extend leases, acquire freeholds, and assume management responsibilities, and how these rights will be made more accessible and enforceable. Sessions will discuss priorities for implementation and transitional arrangements, how valuation methodology will be applied, and implications for mixed-use buildings and existing management structures.
The agenda will also explore the Government’s proposals to modernise the legal framework for commonhold and address barriers to adoption. Delegates will assess how commonhold can be effectively scaled in the UK, and what is needed to provide certainty to developers, investors, and lenders, particularly around dispute resolution, financing, and long-term stewardship.
Service charges, the 2024 Act & wider housing policy
With government considering responses to the recent consultation on implementing new requirements in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 through secondary legislation, delegates will assess next steps for improving transparency in service charge regimes, clearer routes to challenge costs, and options for developing consistent standards for building management and maintenance.
Further sessions will draw on implications of the recent High Court ruling on future valuation methodology and balancing the interests of both leaseholders and freeholders - with provisions in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 upheld, rejecting a legal challenge brought by freeholders.
Wider policy considerations will also be discussed, including how these reforms align with broader housing objectives with the recent granting of Royal Assent to the Renters’ Rights Act and government’s commitment to build 1.5 million houses by the end of this Parliament, as well as consumer protection frameworks and long-term models of ownership and building management.
Overview of areas for discussion
- policy:
- expected provisions in the draft Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill
- alignment with the Commonhold White Paper and the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024
- leaseholder rights and reform:
- practical implementation of lease extension and freehold acquisition rights - valuation methodology and cost implications for leaseholders and freeholders
- enabling resident-led management and improving access to redress
- commonhold development:
- modernising the legal framework and governance model
- addressing barriers to adoption for developers, lenders, and managing agents - transitional arrangements for converting existing leasehold buildings
- tenure transition:
- scope and timing of restrictions on the sale of new leasehold flats
- supporting uptake of commonhold as the default tenure - treatment of mixed-use buildings and shared facilities
- service charges and building management:
- next steps following the consultation on strengthening leaseholder protections
- improving transparency in service charge regimes and routes to challenge costs - developing consistent standards for building management and maintenance
- legal and regulatory context:
- balancing interests of leaseholders and freeholders under the reformed regime - enforcement mechanisms and dispute resolution pathways
- implications of the High Court ruling for valuation and legislative powers
- wider policy objectives:
- links to housing strategy, consumer protection, and long-term ownership models
- coordination with planning, infrastructure, and local authority objectives - opportunities for further engagement and guidance across the sector
