HC Deb 20 December 1990 vol 183 c267W
Mr. Soley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many houses are exempt from the provisions of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1967 which permit leaseholders to purchase the freehold of the property.

Sir George Young

The Leasehold Reform Act 1967 gives leaseholders of most houses, but not leaseholders of flats, the right to purchase their freeholds. The number of dwellings exempt is not known. The Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 enables a court to order the compulsory acquisition by the leaseholders of flats of the landlord's interest in certain circumstances where he has been failing in his duties. Again, the number of exempt dwellings is not known. It is open to any leaseholder or group of leaseholders to seek to purchase the freehold of their dwelling by negotiation.