When leasehold flat owners are being treated as second-class citizens

Readers respond to an article on a campaign that is fighting to end the leasehold system in England and Wales

I read your article about the National Leasehold Campaign and the problems associated with owning a leasehold property (‘The developers got greedy’: the women who took on the leasehold scandal – and won, 16 June). I fully understand the financial costs of leasehold, be it ground rent, management fees or extending a leasehold. However, I would like to point out that there is another problem with owning a leasehold flat.

The freehold to our blocks was purchased by developers, who announced that they would be building new flats on top of our homes. Despite appealing against this, leaseholders were powerless to stop the development. Since May 2025, we have had restricted daylight due to scaffolding that was erected six months before work commenced; trespass above the flats due to poorly secured access; water ingress into flats caused by intruders trying to steal copper; work carrying on into evenings above flats as well as on bank holidays; and work vehicles blocking access. I could list a whole lot more. The work has affected residents with noise, dust and disruption.