Three women who set up and run the largest grass-roots organisation pushing for the end to leasehold in the UK have received gongs in the King’s Birthday Honours List.

Joanne Darbyshire, Katie Kendrick and Cath Williams (LtoR in main image) each get an OBE for their work running the National Leasehold Campaign which, among other organisations too, has been credited with persuading the previous Tory and current Labour governments to bring forward legislation that is initially reforming, and many hope ultimately ending, leasehold.

It wants both a complete end to leasehold for houses, the adoption of commonhold as the default tenure for flats, as well as redress and compensation for the many leaseholders stuck in unsaleable properties.

The group, which is linked to the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership and former MP Peter Bottomley, who had until stepping down, been the lead voice in parliament on the issue,

Paediatric nurse Kendrick, who is also currently Mayor of Cheshire West and Chester Council, co-founded the organisation in 2017 with commercial director Darbyshire from Bolton (who had clashed with Taylor Wimpey over her leasehold property), while retired lecturer Cath Williams from Liverpool became a key member later.

Honoured

Williams says: “I am really honoured to be awarded the OBE in the King’s birthday honours list.

“It is fantastic to have my contribution to the National Leasehold Campaign recognised alongside my co-founders Katie Kendrick and Jo Darbyshire – we are three strong determined freehold fighters who could not stand by and watch exploitation of leaseholders without taking action.

“Over the past eight years we have made a real difference by galvanising NLC members to respond to endless consultations necessary to bring about legislative changes such as the Leasehold and Freehold (ground rent) Act 2022 and the LAFRA2024.

“There is still so much more to do to help existing leaseholders escape this feudal system and this recognition carries a responsibility to continue our campaign with the same focus and determination we have always shown.
It’s not over yet.”

The National Leasehold Campaign was at first a Facebook page but became a fully-fledged organisation with some 33,000 members as frustration among many leaseholds – and a lack of political action – increased.

Legislation

The organisation may get what it hopes for. The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024, which received Royal Assent on May 24, 2024, aims to improve the rights of leaseholders in England and Wales by making it easier and cheaper for them to extend their leases, buy their freeholds, and take over the management of their buildings.

It was introduced by the Tories but squeezed through to Royal Assent with Labour’s agreement just before the last General Election. Labour has since promised to go further and make Commonhold the ‘default’ for all new leaseholds, although there has been criticism over a lack of progress on this front, and that existing leaseholders will be included.

Ministers have argued recently that these people can, in effect, become ‘commonholders’ by taking over the management of their blocks from the freeholders’ management company.

Read the full honours list.