King Charles will deliver the King’s Speech on Wednesday, which will sketch out the Government’s legislative priorities over the next parliamentary session. Of particular note are the two bills likely to be included in the speech, namely the Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill and the Building Safety Remediation Bill – bills which aim to, among other things, strengthen leaseholders’ rights and building safety standards.
In the King’s Speech in 2023, Charles emphasised that ‘reform[ing] the housing market by making it cheaper and easier for leaseholders to purchase their freehold and tackling the exploitation of millions of homeowners through punitive service charges’ was a major concern. In turn, the two expected bills cohere with the Government’s general policies towards the property market.
The Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill
The draft for the Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill was published on 27 January 2026 and is intended to ‘deliver its manifesto and King’s Speech commitments to reinvigorate and reform the commonhold model, making it easier for existing leaseholders to convert to commonhold should they wish to do so, and banning the use of leasehold for most new flats.’
The Bill will cap ground rents at £250 a year, a move aiming to deliver savings for around 770,000 to 900,000 leaseholders, most of whom, around 490,000 to 590,000, reside in London and the South. The draft document explained: ‘By capping all high ground rents – irrespective of whether they have always been high or escalated to become high over time – current and future leaseholders will be protected from unjust difficulties when it comes to moving house.’
Another important policy is the transition to peppercorn rent after 40 years. In what the draft document described as the commitment to ‘end the feudal leasehold system’, this proposal is expected to affect almost 4 million properties across England and Wales and will in total save £10bn-12.7bn when assessed over the entire lease term.
The threat of forfeiture is also slated to be abolished. Replacing the forfeiture will be, according to the draft document, a fairer lease enforcement scheme that will benefit both leaseholders and landlords. Enforcement powers will be similarly curtailed, particularly when it comes to rent charges on freehold estates.
In doing so, Propertymark observed that this bill ‘will involve new documents, new processes, new management arrangements and new responsibilities for homeowners and property professionals’, which will require agents and consumers to receive ‘clear guidance and practical support to understand how the system works.’
The Building Safety Remediation Bill
The Building Safety Remediation Bill is intended to enhance the Government’s existing remediation policy framework, especially concerning unsafe cladding across residential buildings, whether private or social housing.
In the years following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, there have been several initiatives aiming to accelerate remediation efforts for affected properties across the country. Yet in 2024, only 1,436 of the 4,834 buildings which were considered unsafe were remediated.
This prompted the announcement of the Remediation Acceleration Plan, published in December 2024, which outlined several key objectives that have served as the bedrock for the Building Safety Remediation Bill. Three key objectives were outlined: better support for residents throughout the remediation process; the intention to accelerate the time at which buildings are fully remediated; and a stronger effort to identify all buildings above 11 metres with unsafe cladding.
One important provision of the Building Safety Remediation Bill is the tougher requirements for landlords to complete cladding remediation by fixed deadlines. These deadlines will be set in the following sequence: by the end of 2029 for buildings 18 metres or more in height, and by the end of 2031 for buildings between 11 and 18 metres.
As part of this initiative, the Government has launched a national identification drive to review over 212,000 Ordnance Survey records. The National Remediation System, which will integrate information from housing providers, local authorities, and fire services, was also established to serve as a unitary source of reference for buildings over 11 metres.
Anticipating the Two Bills
The Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill and the Building Safety Remediation Bill continue the Government’s efforts to reform the housing sector – in particular improving building safety standards and leaseholders’ rights. The announcement of these bills will further the Government’s objectives for the UK property market.
It is more generally directed, quoting from the Government’s press release, towards ‘facing up to the big challenges our country faces and put[ting] the UK on a stronger, fairer path that unlocks hope for people across Britain.’ These bills, once announced, are expected to play important roles in shaping the UK property market.
