Ask anyone who has either lived or currently lives in a leasehold flat whether they would repeat the experience, the answer is likely to be a resounding 'no'.

This is because despite (or because of) what the Government thinks or says about the tenure, it remains as problematic as ever.

My article 'Leasehold Reform - Could Do Better' in 2008 highlighted one of the main problems surrounding the tenure, that of defective third party management. Despite the repeated calls for managing agents to be licenced, our Housing Minister says that the Government has no plans to do this. A major problem is then exascerbated by the selling of leases by conveyancers who often don't understand them, and buyer's not understanding exactly what it is they are purchasing either.

So what is  leasehold?

Leasehold is simply an interest carved from the dominant freehold estate and whilst long leaseholders have been recognised as owners for decades, English law recognises long leaseholders only as 'tenants'.

Therefore, like renting tenants, leaseholders have a landlord (a freeholder) and instead of a letting agent they often have a managing agent who takes over over responsibility for the management and maintenance of the building. For this they charge a fee (which the leaseholder pays) and which varies according to the size and type of development and the services that they are required to supply.