§ Sir Raymond Gowerasked the Secretary of State for Wales if, in view of the concern to many leaseholders in Wales, he will include in the forthcoming Housing Bill proposals for simplifying the procedures for settling the valuation of freeholds under the Leasehold Reform Act 1967.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsYes. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and I are proposing measures by which valuation disputes may be referred in the first instance to local leasehold valuation tribunals whose members will be drawn from existing rent assessment panels.
Where a leaseholder serves a notice claiming his freehold and the landlord does not propose a price within two months or the price is in dispute, either party would be able to ask the leasehold valuation tribunal to decide the price.
This should produce speedy decisions and there would be no provision for one 37W party to bear the other's costs. There will be a subsequent right of appeal to the Lands Tribunal.