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MP Crausby welcomes free leasehold advice

A service that gives free legal advice on leasehold and commonhold issues has been welcomed by Bolton North East MP David Crausby.
LEASE (The Leasehold Advisory Service) is funded by the Government and provides free legal advice to leaseholders on the law affecting residential leasehold and commonhold systems.

Mr. Crausby campaigned in Parliament for a change in leasehold and ground rent rules after Bolton residents received letters warning them they would have to change their home insurance to a specified company.

Tenants in Astley Bridge, Sharples, Bradshaw, Great Lever and Heaton were outraged by the letters, telling them to switch to a firm named by the Compton Group, their freeholder, or alternatively pay £500 to buy the freehold of their homes. Many were threatened with enforcement action if they did not change their home insurance but Mr. Crausby added an amendment to the 2002 Leasehold Reform Act that now protects leaseholders' rights by letting them choose their own insurers.
Mr. Crausby said:

“It has been a long struggle to get the Compton Group to stop sending these demanding letters to leaseholders. It is the principal of the matter that landlords shouldn't be able to get away with something like this.

“I’m very pleased to see that LEASE is offering support and advice to anyone who has questions about their leasehold. It’s especially important given the current housing market conditions. I would urge anyone who is concerned about their own situation to get in touch with them.”

Free advice is available at the LEASE website: www.lease-advice.org , via email at: info@lease-advice.org, or by telephone on 020 7374 5380.