On 4 July 2024, the British public voted in their constituencies for their chosen representative in the Houses of Parliament, which resulted in the Labour Party taking control of the government by a landslide.
With a new government in place, there is initiated a process called the State Opening of Parliament, part of the ages-old tradition that includes the incumbent monarch giving a speech to both Houses of Parliament (Lords and Commons), specifically to lay out the priorities for the government in the coming days.
This speech, the second given by King Charles since acceding to the throne, covers the aspects of the legislation that the government wishes to bring before the Houses to become law in the course of the Parliament sitting.
Of particular note are the details that concern housing and the impact the legislature might have on those wanting to buy or sell a freehold or leasehold property.
Key points from the King's Speech
- The provisions covering the selling and buying of property primarily falls under the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.
- At a high level, the purpose of the Bill is to make improvements on planning at a local level, and to increase housebuilding and associated infrastructure.
- Labour pledged in its manifesto to build 1.5million homes in the course of this Parliament and the Bill provides the means to achieve it.
- The Bill sets out the reforms required to the rules covering compulsory purchases so that it is ultimately fair on those affected but still allows for the necessary plans for physical infrastructure, social housing and social infrastructure to take place.
- While not being allowed specifically to block any local developments, communities will be given the opportunity to provide input to how the buildings will be constructed.
- Local authority planning committee processes will be overhauled, while the decision-making process will be accelerated to achieve early decisions and get the plans for building developments moving.
- Labour have also promised to end what they call the “feudal system” of leasehold and replacing it with commonhold as the default system of tenure - this is a system that allows tenants to combine to have say over the homes in which they live.
- As part of the leasehold process, the government have confirmed that owners of leaseholds will be protected from paying for any building safety requirements (this in the light of the Grenfell Tower tragedy).
- Leaseholders will have the right to extend the tenure of the lease or to buy it outright.
- The National Grid will be modernised and upgraded to meet the requirements of the future housing plans.
Need to understand what your rights are with respect to planning? Worried about infrastructure projects and the impact that might have on the home you want to buy?
That's where you can rely on Homeward Legal!
They will start work on your planned purchase (and/or sale) as soon as you agree to the quotation and appoint them to represent you.
Homeward Legal will also provide a quote that will not change - what you are quoted is what you pay for standard conveyancing process.
There are some unforeseen items that might arise during the purchase and/or sale, but the solicitor discusses these and their cost as they come up.
In addition, to protect the homebuyer further, Homeward Legal operates a ‘no completion, no fee' promise, which ensures that, should the purchase or sale not go through as planned to completion status, no payment is required.
Call to get your conveyancing quote started, or to discuss your concerns with your plans to move.
Or you can get a quick quote, using Homeward Legal's easy-to-use quote generator.