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. The agenda will examine ongoing implementation of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024, and consider near-term options for inclusion in the draft bill, such as simplified lease extensions, the right for leaseholders to buy their freehold individually or collectively, and measures to strengthen rights for existing leaseholders.
Longer-term reform priorities set out in the Commonhold White Paper will also be examined, including proposals to restrict the sale of new leasehold flats and enable the transition towards commonhold as the default tenure for multi-unit residential buildings. The legal infrastructure required to support commonhold adoption will be considered, alongside priorities for market readiness, long-term stewardship, and financing frameworks
Leaseholder rights, certainty for developers & support for commonhold
Attendees will examine the Government’s proposals in draft legislation, including the scope and timing of leasehold restrictions, implications for mixed-use buildings, and ways forward for addressing barriers to adoption of commonhold. 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 enfranchisement valuations.
Areas for potential further legislative clarity will also be discussed, including mechanisms for enabling leaseholders to extend leases, acquire freeholds, and assume management responsibilities, and how these rights can be made more accessible and enforceable. Priorities for implementation and transitional arrangements will be considered, looking also at how valuation methodology will be applied, and implications for existing management structures.
Service charges, the 2024 Act & wider housing policy
With government considering responses to the recent consultation on implementing new LAFRA 2024 requirements through secondary legislation, it will be an opportunity to 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 - which upheld provisions in the LAFRA 2024, rejecting a legal challenge brought by freeholders.
Wider policy considerations will also be discussed, including how reform aligns with broader housing objectives with the ascension of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 and the 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.
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates.
