Angela Rayner Pledges Leasehold Reform, Targets 'Cowboy' Property Agents

Shadow Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has outlined Labour's strategy to reform the leasehold property system, directly targeting what she described as 'cowboy' property agents exploiting homeowners. Speaking at the Labour conference, Rayner asserted that the existing leasehold framework is 'feudal' and perpetuates significant injustices for property owners across the country.

The proposed measures include a commitment to empowering leaseholders with stronger rights and imposing stricter regulations on managing agents. This reform aims to curb practices such as exorbitant service charges, ground rent increases, and opaque administration fees that have left many leaseholders in financially precarious positions.

Rayner emphasised the party's dedication to ensuring that homeownership is accessible and equitable, rather than a source of financial strain due to the actions of predatory agents. The reforms seek to provide greater transparency and accountability within the leasehold sector, promising a more secure environment for homeowners grappling with the current system's complexities and costs.