Housing

Leasehold Information in HIPs Working Group

Memebership and Terms of Reference of a Working Group set-up to take forward the recommendations of Ted Beardsall's report published 12 June 2008.

On 12 June 2008, Ted Beardsall CBE, Deputy Chief Executive of Land Registry published a report Local Property Searches and Leasehold Information, which confirmed the longstanding issues in the provision and costs of leasehold information.

It found near 'universal' agreement that the inclusion of all leasehold information prior to marketing would cause serious difficulties, and recommended further work to finalise alternative requirements.  

Accepting these recommendations, Communities and Local Government has extended the existing temporary provision requiring the Lease only within HIPs until 31 December 2008.  

The Housing Minister has also agreed to convene a Working Group of key industry and consumer representatives to take forward the recommendations set out in paragraph 79 of Ted Beardsall's report and support the Department in preparing final proposals for the inclusion of leasehold information within a HIP.

In particular, the Group should advise on proposals for:

i) requiring leasehold information within a HIP and the form this should take, having regard to the availability and costs of information. This work should draw on the options proposed in the Report, in particular:

  • the Lease only - make permanent the existing temporary measure;
  • produce a summary sheet and the Lease;
  • details of the landlord or managing agent and the Lease;
  • appropriate combinations of the above.  

ii) practical steps that can be taken to establish good practice for landlord and managing agents in the provision of leasehold information, in the short and long terms.

The Group should be convened for 4 months, reporting to Ministers at the end of September 2008. Within this period, Communities and Local Government  will plan to incorporate a 6 week targeted consultation with interested parties on the favoured option. This will enable final proposals to be agreed in the autumn, allowing a 'notice' period ahead of adoption at 1 January 2009.

The Chair and the Group will be supported by and work actively with Communities and Local Governments' Home Buying and Selling Team which will be responsible for preparing proposals.

Membership

  • Chair - Ted Beardsall CBE
  • The Association of Home Information Pack Providers
  • The Association of Residential Managing Agents
  • The Direct Conveyancing Association
  • The Law Society
  • LEASE (Leasehold Advisory Service)
  • The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
  • Which?
  • Officials from Communities and Local Government

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