In this episode of Listen Without Prejudice, we dive into the recent government whitepaper on Commonhold reform and what it means for property ownership in the UK.

Charlie Davidson, Senior Associate in the residential team at Bishop & Sewell, is joined by Mark Chick—to discuss the proposed shift from leasehold to commonhold and whether it’s truly the future of property ownership.

Together, they explore the historical challenges of commonhold, why previous attempts at implementation have struggled, and what reforms are needed to make it viable. Mark also breaks down key concerns such as lender hesitations, insolvency risks, and management issues in large developments.

Is commonhold a practical solution or just a fresh coat of paint on existing leasehold issues? And how soon can we expect these changes to take effect? 

Tune in as we unpack all the key insights from the latest legal reforms.

Chapter Markers

(01:48) What Is the Commonhold White Paper? – Breaking down the government’s latest proposal

(04:55) Why Now? – Political motivations and the push for change

(06:12) Leasehold vs Commonhold – Does the existing system actually work?

(08:48) Commonhold for New Builds vs Existing Flats – Who benefits?

(11:44) Who Manages Commonhold Properties? – The reality of self-management

(13:22) Mandatory Managing Agents? – A potential solution for large developments

(14:53) Legislation Timeline – How long will these reforms take?

Useful Links

Mark Chick LinkedIn

Charlie Davidson LinkedIn

Bishop & Sewell Website 

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