New analysis from The Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE), a government-funded advisory body providing free and impartial initial legal advice to leaseholders and park homeowners, spotlights how the current complexity of the leasehold redress system is deterring leaseholders from pursuing and resolving complaints.
The survey of 247 leaseholders revealed that many are not escalating complaints because the process seems too time-consuming and too stressful. The research also uncovered that the top considerations when escalating a property issue are the likelihood of action, the impact on service charges, the guidance available and the cost.
“The insight report demonstrates that, with a wide range of redress schemes, ombudsmen, regulators and advice bodies, the current system is not always joined up to support consumers and, in some cases, can be ineffective,” LEASE said.
To improve the redress journey for leaseholders and support consumers in finding the right route for redress, LEASE convened stakeholders from across the redress landscape to comprehensively map the redress options.
The organisation said it is working with the sector to develop practical and effective tools to make it easier for leaseholders to access relevant information on their property and routes to redress. This will include guidance on alternative dispute resolution and how to navigate courts and tribunals.
Martin Boyd, chair of LEASE, explained:
“While there are multiple routes to redress, we know that in practice, the system is difficult to navigate. This leaves many leaseholders feeling confused and unsupported at the point they most need clarity. Too often, leaseholders disengage because they can’t identify the right avenue quickly or the process feels uncertain and time-consuming.
“By working together across the sector, we can provide increased clarity on the different paths for redress, make the journey easier for leaseholders when they need it. We will also continue to engage with Government around the need for wider, more structural reform to ensure there is suitable redress in place for all leaseholders and that the relevant bodies have the powers to enforce decisions.”
