Sadiq Khan: leaseholders in England should have the right to withhold service charges

The demand from Khan, who said the right to withhold unfair and unexplained service charges should be attached to the leasehold and freehold reform bill going through parliament, will increase the pressure on levelling up secretary Michael Gove.

“If leaseholders face large increases in their service charge without it being clearly explained what it’s paying for, they should be able to do something about it, including having stronger rights in law.

I’ll keep campaigning for the end of our current system of leasehold ownership, and the introduction of commonhold as the new default tenure for flat owners in London and across the country.”

He is also calling for the housing ombudsman to be given more powers over the level and increase in service charges and to make it easier and cheaper for leaseholders to take their landlords to court as a last resort.

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Khan made the comments as he heads into a London mayoral election this week in which housing has been a key issue.