As the Conveyancing Association marks its 25th anniversary, members across the sector are taking the…
The Conveyancing Association (CA), the leading representative body for the conveyancing industry, has today (24th April 2026) urged conveyancing firms and property professionals to respond to the Government’s consultation on moving to commonhold and banning leasehold for new flats, ahead of its closing date today.
The consultation, led by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG), sets out proposals to make commonhold the default tenure for new flats and forms a key part of the Government’s wider leasehold reform agenda.
The CA has already submitted its draft response following engagement with its Board and members, and is encouraging firms across the sector to review the proposals and ensure their views are reflected before the deadline.
In its response, the CA has expressed support for the overall direction of travel, noting the consultation is framed as a question of when commonhold will be implemented rather than if, and highlighting the opportunity this presents to simplify property ownership structures.
The Association believes the move to commonhold has the potential to remove a number of long-standing complexities within the current system, including leasehold arrangements, estate rentcharges and managed freeholds, while introducing a more standardised process and set of documents that will be easier for consumers to understand.
The CA has also pointed to the potential removal of issues such as escalating ground rents and reducing lease terms in new-build properties, as well as addressing structural complications which can arise under existing models.
At the same time, the CA has made clear that successful implementation will depend on clarity, consistency and sufficient preparation time for the sector, including the development of standard documentation, updates to systems and processes, and alignment with Land Registry requirements.
The Association has stressed that while commonhold will not remove all issues associated with communal living, many of these challenges already exist under leasehold and right to manage structures, and the focus should be on ensuring a clearer and more workable framework for all parties.
The CA response supports the proposed ban on new leasehold flats in principle, describing it as a significant opportunity to modernise flat ownership and reduce the complexity of legal title for homeowners.
The consultation closes today and can be accessed here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/moving-to-commonhold-banning-leasehold-for-new-flats/moving-to-commonhold-banning-leasehold-for-new-flats
Beth Rudolf, Director of Delivery at The Conveyancing Association, commented:
“This consultation represents a significant step towards simplifying how we structure and manage property ownership, particularly for flats and shared developments. The move to commonhold has the potential to remove many of the complexities that currently exist, and to provide a more consistent and understandable framework for homeowners.
“However, this is a major change for the sector and it is vital conveyancers engage with the detail of the proposals. We need clear definitions, workable processes and sufficient time to prepare, in order to ensure the new system functions effectively in practice.
“We would strongly encourage firms to take the opportunity to review the consultation and the CA’s own response, and support or submit their views before the deadline. Conveyancers will play a central role in delivering these reforms and it is important the final framework reflects the realities of how transactions operate on the ground.”
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