In light of the many legislative updates the industry has seen in recent years, our contributors explore what these changes mean for us.

In the News!

  • ALEP (the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners) has welcomed the House of Commons Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee’s report on the draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill but warned that the success of reform will depend on clear communication, practical detail and a realistic timetable for implementation.
  • Today, 13th May 2026, King Charles delivered the second King’s Speech of Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Government, marking the State Opening of Parliament and setting out the Government’s legislative programme for the parliamentary session ahead.
  • The Property Institute (TPI) is pleased to announce the publication of its Service Charge Index 2026 report. Based on contributions from thirteen TPI member firms, the report draws on data from 2,137 residential estates covering more than 117,000 homes, presenting data on residential service charge trends across England, Scotland and Wales.

Featured Articles

The team at Innovus write about their surveying teams spending increasing amounts of time assessing emergency call systems across residential developments, particularly in later living and supported housing schemes.

In October 2024, workplace harassment law changed in a way that many businesses may still not fully appreciate – read more in the article brought to you by JMJ Asset Management.

The UK Lift industry has seen significant changes driven by advancements in building regulations, sustainability goals, and the need to enhance accessibility and safety standards. The article from Ardent Lift Consultancy explores the key updates in UK lift related legislation, their impact on property owners, businesses, and the legal sector, and what stakeholders can expect in the coming year.

The Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 came into force on the 6th April 2026, introducing new duties for those responsible for certain blocks of flats. In their article, the team at Residentsline Flats Insurance explain the regulations in simple terms and explores what they may mean for people living and working in residential blocks.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has officially published the 4th edition of its Service Charge Residential Management Code, which came into effect on 7 April 2026 – learn more from the team at Earl Kendrick Group.

A tax trap was quietly laid for ordinary tenants. Not deliberately, one hopes. That would imply a level of coordination that we rarely see in government. But there it was: sitting in the undergrowth between the Renters’ Rights Act and the SDLT lease rules, waiting for 1 May 2026. You can find out more in the article by the team at Bishop & Sewell.

The introduction of the Building Safety Act 2022 has marked one of the most significant changes to residential building safety legislation. Central to this framework is the Principal Accountable Person (PAP); the individual legally responsible for overseeing building safety and helping protect residents from fire and structural risks. The team at 4Site Consulting look into the details in their article.

In recent months, a recurring theme has emerged across the lift industry where lift projects are taking longer to get moving. For facilities managers, property owners, and those responsible for higher-risk buildings (HRB’s), delayed mobilisation can quickly become a source of frustration. Questions inevitably follow – you can read more in the article brought to you by the team at ILECS Lift Consultants.

Mairead McErlean, Head of Legal, Compliance and Regulatory Affairs at FirstPort looks at why Commonhold’s success depends on more than legislation.

For many people living in flats, leasehold ownership can feel confusing and, at times, frustrating. Service charges, lease lengths, permissions, insurance costs and the relationship with the freeholder can all affect everyday life. Over the years, concerns around fairness, transparency and rising costs have led to growing calls for reform. The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 forms part of the government’s response to those concerns. Whilst not every part of the Act is in force yet, it introduces significant changes that could affect how leaseholders manage costs, extend leases and gain greater control over their buildings. For leaseholders in blocks of flats, the reforms are important. They aim to make leasehold ownership simpler, fairer and more transparent. In their article, the team at Flat Living Insurance explain what the Act could mean in practice and how it may affect UK flat owners.

Since the Grenfell Tower fire, safety rules for blocks of flats have changed enormously. Legal updates and additional regulations have been brought in to improve safety and accountability, and to ensure building risks are better understood and managed. For residents, Right to Manage companies and resident-controlled blocks, the legal detail can feel complex, but the practical impact is easier to understand. Ultimately, building managers and residents should now experience better fire risk assessments, clearer safety information, stronger oversight and more focus on competent building management. The team at Residentsline Flats Insurance explain the real-world changes brought about by recent legal updates and what they mean for you.

In their article, Block in a Box explore how recent developments around Consumer Duty principles, transparency and complaint-handling are influencing service standards in the leasehold sector and what this means in practice.

RTM companies are now practically responsible for ensuring the structure and common parts of the building are managed safely. While freeholders still retain certain legal responsibilities, the day-to-day reality is that RTM directors and their managing agents are often at the centre of building safety management – learn more in the article from the team at London Flats Insurance.

In their article, the team at specialist property solicitors JB Leitch provide an update on some significant cases which hold major implications for the property management sector.

Read all of these articles and more, in the latest edition of Flat Living Magazine.