WARRINGTON North Labour MP Charlotte Nichols and her Warrington South Tory counterpart Andy Carter have clashed over the “leasehold scandal” while both wanting reform to end mis-selling.
While Ms Nichols says she voted to reform the broken leasehold system last week in an Opposition Day vote – Mr Carter pointed out there were no votes to “end leasehold”.
Ms Nichols says that if the legislation is passed it has the potential to help thousands of people across Warrington.
She says that during the 2019 election The Conservatives made a manifesto promise to end the sale of leaseholds on new builds, however, after more successive promises by Housing Secretaries the Government has once again rowed back on its commitments leaving thousands of people in the lurch.
The arcane and feudal system of leasehold denies hardworking families of power, control and even a say over basic and fundamental things such as the safety, security, and future of their own homes and communities.
Leaseholders often report facing excessive costs and charges whilst also having limited rights around their own home.
She added that Labour had committed to making it easier for leaseholders to gain greater control over their properties.
Ms Nichols said: “Almost every country in the world has abolished or reformed the archaic leasehold system apart from ours.
“Unfortunately, the Tories insist on keeping us in the dark ages. The Tories are siding with profiteering management companies and holding hardworking families to ransom with ever increasing costs and eye-watering bills.
“They made a promise to reform the out of date system but yet again they are failing to deliver. I know lots of families were mis-sold leaseholds the system we have now is completely unfair.
“My constituents shouldn’t have to wait any longer for basic rights over their own homes.
“The government needs immediately bring forward the legislation needed to end the scandal and support our communities across Warrington North.”
In response Warrington South MP Andy Carter said: “Far be it from me to correct anyone from Labour on what the Opposition Day vote was about – but there was no vote to ‘End Leasehold’.
“Parliament’s Order Paper is very clear: it says it was a vote to remind the Secretary of State what he had said about leasehold reform previously and was a call for him to make an oral statement to the House by 23 June 2023 on his plans to reform leasehold.
“I know this because I actually attended and spoke in the debate, praising the Government for the steps taken so far but also asking the Housing Minister to go further with future legislation because Leadsehold reform is an issue that many of my constituents have been in touch about.
“I also urged the Competition and Markets Authority to look at settling individual issues which still remain outstanding following their inquiry into mis-selling on Steinbeck Grange.”
2 Comments
I see. Andy Carter is admitting that he and his (temporary) Tory backbench chums are yet again having to remind their own government about promises and targets that they’ve failed to deliver. Or perhaps it’s simply that they never had any intention of delivering them. Jam Tomorrow Tories.
Andy Carter was also present in the chamber when the new hospitals were announced, although he had
Spoken of greats hopes and expectations for new hospital for Warrington and Halton, he did not respond to Warrington not getting the new hospital in fact I think he left the chamber.