Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Jessica Murray Social affairs correspondent

‘They’re trying to milk us’: leaseholders tell of soaring charges amid Labour reform delays

Liz Withnall
Liz Withnall says at her two-bedroom flat, £4,500 leasehold repairs have ballooned to £40,000 after five years, leaving her unable to sell. Photograph: Martin Godwin/The Guardian

“I don’t say this lightly, but I feel traumatised by this,” said Sarah*, a leaseholder who owns a one-bedroom flat in Moseley, south Birmingham. “Every time I open the front door to my house I’m expecting some frightening letter with lots of zeros on it. It has ruined my life, to be honest.”

Sarah works full-time as a school teacher, but has been forced to take up a second job to pay the spiralling bills from the management company of her building.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.