§ Ms BuckTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will enable disputes over the reasonableness of service charges between landlords and long leaseholders where court proceedings began before 1 September 1997 to be transferred to leasehold valuation tribunals. [51925]
§ Ms ArmstrongFollowing consultation with interested parties, I have made a further Commencement Order under the Housing Act 1996 which will take effect on 11 August 1998. From that date, a court will have the discretion to allow service charge disputes which started before 1 September 1997 to be transferred to leasehold valuation tribunals, where the court considers the interests of justice would best be served.