Mark Isherwood
Shadow Housing Minister Mark Isherwood AM is calling for action to protect leaseholders in all parts of Wales following recent problems in South Wales.
Residents on the Elba Works estate in Gowerton found that their annual Ground Rent has been increased from £50 to up to £2,500, while it is understood that leaseholders of flats under the control of Bron Afon Community Housing in Cwmbran have faced bills of between £11,000 and £30,000 for repairs to their properties.
North Wales AM, Mr Isherwood is concerned that if this can happen in South Wales, it can happen in his regional constituency too and has asked the First Minister what action the Welsh Government is taking to address the problem.
Speaking in the Assembly Chamber, he said: “I know that these issues were raised with general support from Assembly Members and Members of Parliament in 2012 in a CentreForum think tank report, with general cross-party agreement on the actions required. The UK Government is looking at a redress scheme for leaseholders. What action will the Welsh Government take at a devolved level to address these problems?”
The First Minister replied only: “Well, again, it comes back to the point as to whether it is devolved or not. I am sure that the Member will join me in welcoming clarification in any new Wales Bill. The difficulty is, of course, that the leasehold system is a capricious system. It can lead and has led to situations, as we see here, where there are substantial increases in ground rent that people have to face. It is very difficult for the (Welsh) Government or, indeed, the Assembly to give views on what they might do when it is not yet clear what the extent of the competence of the Assembly is.”
