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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Julia Kollewe

Ground rent not legally or commercially necessary, says UK watchdog

Sold and for sale signs.
There has been a lengthy battle to reform what Michael Gove has called the ‘feudal’ leasehold system in England and Wales. Photograph: Andrew Matthews/PA

Britain’s competition watchdog has said ground rent is “neither legally nor commercially necessary” and that government may need to step in to protect consumers from soaring costs.

The housing secretary, Michael Gove, is considering capping all existing ground rents – possibly reducing them to a nominal “peppercorn” level, in effect zero – and launched a consultation in early December.

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