The Current State of Leasehold Reform

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The Current State of Leasehold Reform

As of 31st January 2025, significant reforms under the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 came in, bringing important changes for leaseholders and landlords across England and Wales.

The Reformed Provisions Already in Force

  • Since 24 July 2024:

    • New rules were introduced for rent charge arrears.

    • Landlords can no longer recover legal costs via the service charge unless a lease explicitly allows it.

    • Section 125 of the Building Safety Act 2022 was repealed, removing previous rules on remediation costs from insolvent landlords.

    • Stronger notification requirements were introduced in the event of landlord insolvency for higher-risk buildings.

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Commonhold: A New Way to Own Flats in England and Wales

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Commonhold: A New Way to Own Flats in England and Wales

The government is moving towards a major reform in how flats are owned, with the goal of ending new leasehold ownership for flats altogether. The proposed alternative? Commonhold — a type of ownership that’s familiar in other parts of the world but still rare in the UK.

While the government is still consulting on the details, here's what we know so far.

What Is Commonhold?

Commonhold is a type of freehold ownership designed specifically for flats. Unlike leasehold, there’s no expiring term, no ground rent, and no third-party freeholder. Instead:

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The ‘Bayswater Revival’ and Queensway Regeneration Projects

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London's Bayswater area is experiencing a dynamic transformation, positioning itself as one of the city’s most promising residential and commercial districts. Central to this revitalization is the £3 billion Queensway Regeneration project, infusing the area with new developments, retail, eateries and facilities, enhancing its appeal to both investors and residents alike.

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What Is a Search Agent?

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What Is a Search Agent?

Simply put, a search agent looks for a property on your behalf. If you are looking to move – be it buying or renting – the search agent can do all the legwork for you. That’s finding suitable properties, arranging viewings and brokering the negotiations on your behalf saving you heaps of time and energy. If you really trust them, they can even attend viewings on your behalf. Maplewood often takes on this responsibility and reports back with videos or video calls, saving you further time travelling to multiple appointments.

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Top Tips for Spot On Property Photography

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Property photos are far and away the most important asset in marketing a property in both the sales and lettings markets. Good images show a property truthfully and also in the best possible light (pun intended). Whilst post-production can tweak/magic/erase a few wrinkles (like turning a wintery grey sky blue or even vamoosing a neighbour’s unsightly bin), it is far simpler to start with good images than to try to correct them after the fact. And the uncomfortable truth is that with only one chance to make a first impression, you don’t want to give the people viewing your property any reason to swipe left - and they can be a fickle crowd. 

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