The Mayor’s budget should fund a Leasehold Advice Centre

London has the highest proportion of leaseholders in England, with 1.3 million leasehold properties in 2022/23, comprising 36% of all London homes and 64% of all London flats.

London leaseholders also typically pay higher service charges, with the median annual service charge £1,450 across London in 2022/23, and 20% of London leaseholders paying over £4,000 per year in 2023.

The London Assembly has today called on the Mayor to commit £150,000 in his Final Consolidated Budget for 2025-26 to fund a Leasehold Advice Centre, giving London’s leaseholders advice, assistance and referrals to other services.

Andrew Boff AM, who proposed the motion, said:

"The Assembly has spoken unanimously to support a leasehold advisory service, to support people trapped in leasehold hell. I am pleased with the support for my motion and hope that the Mayor will listen and implement this vital service."

The full text of the motion is:

This Assembly recalls the landmark motion passed unanimously at its plenary meeting on 13th February, where it raised concerns about leasehold, called for its replacement with commonhold, and for the Mayor to lobby the government and use his funding and land to promote pilot projects.

This Assembly again notes that London had the highest proportion of leaseholders in England, with 1.3 million leasehold properties in 2022/23, comprising 36% of all London homes and 64% of all London flats. London leaseholders also typically pay higher service charges, with the median annual service charge £1,450 across London in 2022/23, and 20% of London leaseholders paying over £4,000 per year in 2023.

This Assembly also notes that, whilst we wait for Parliament to deliver a viable alternative to leasehold, there is an urgent need to step up the support provided to existing leaseholders.

This Assembly therefore calls on the Mayor, in his Final Consolidated Budget for 2025-26, to commit £150,000 to fund a Leasehold Advice Centre. This would provide leaseholders with someone they can call for London-specific advice, assistance and referrals to other services. It could also gather valuable data and intelligence to help support GLA policymaking in this area, especially to help fulfil the Mayor’s manifesto commitments to support leaseholders and pilot alternative tenures.

The proposed GLA-supported Leasehold Advice Centre would complement the Mayor’s existing portal that provides written guidance to leaseholders, and national services such as LEASE and Citizens Advice, providing a personalised advice and support service tailored specifically to London.

The meeting can be viewed via webcast or YouTube.

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1. The motion was agreed unanimously
2. Andrew Boff AM, who proposed the motion, is available for interview.
3. As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.

For more information, please contact Tony Smyth in the Assembly Media Office on 07763 251727 or [email protected]. For out of hours media enquiries please call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the Assembly duty press officer.