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See current Summer 2009 edition of the Newsletter for the latest news.

Welcome to the CARL website
Carl is leading the campaign to end the infamous leasehold style of residential property 'ownership' that
still exists in England and Wales.

CARL responds to the government's consultation on service charges. Read it here

LibDems share many of CARL's concerns. Read the LibDems position on leasehold

 

Read the key presentation given at CARL's tenth Conference in November 2008


Challenging Service Charges
Shabnam Ali-Khan
, Senior Advisor at the Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE) offers an overview of how to deal with service charge disputes.

 

Keynote presentation at the CARL's 2007 Conference

Transparency in Leaseholders Service Charges
Anita Shields
, the auditor who blew the whistle on Southwark Council's
service charge accounting processes (also see BBC website)

 



What they say about leasehold...

Daily Telegraph
"Leasehold has us Tied in Chains"

Ross Clark, 21.01.2006

An End to Feudalism
"Leasehold as a form of residential tenure is a throwback to feudalism. It gives exceptional privileges and powers to landowners"
Frank Dobson MP, and Nick Raynsford MP. Labour's Leasehold Reform Programme, 1995
.

Editor's Note: eleven years later nothing much has changed

 




 

         
  CARL campaigns to abolish the feudal leasehold system of flat and house 'ownership'.

CARL campaigns for the adoption of Commonhold as the universal form of flat ownership, and for house leaseholders to acquire their freeholds.
   

What is leasehold?
When you 'buy' a flat, you may think you own it, but that's far from the case. All you have bought is the right to occupy the flat for the number of years stated on the lease. You are merely a tenant for that period. And once the terms ends, it reverts to the landlord unless you are prepared to pay the landlord to extend it.

As a tenant you pay for the upkeep of the building, but have little control over how it is done or your money is spent. The freeholder and/or managing agent are responsible for that. This puts them in a powerful position, and unfortunately there many ruthless landlords who exploit this, and make leaseholders' lives an expensive nightmare.

CARL is entirely dependent on its membership for its lobbying power and income, and greatly appreciates that support. If you are not a member and share our objectives, then please join the campaign!




Contact CARL
General enquiries: info@carl.org.uk
PO Box 26369, London, N8 7ZL
Anything to do with the website: website editor



Are you being exploited by your
freeholder?
What do you think of your
freeholder and managing agent?
Let CARL know of your experiences
and views of leasehold....



       
 


CARL publishes a quarterly newsletter
- The Leaseholder.
A sharply written review of the politics of leasehold, the latest freeholder scams, and a digest of legal developments and news, is sent free to members. All copies can also be downloaded.