A new Prime Minister and leasehold reform: what actually changes?

Westminster is in the middle of a leadership change. Keir Starmer has announced he will step down as Prime Minister once Labour chooses a successor, and Andy Burnham — Mayor of Greater Manchester until his return to Parliament in June — is the frontrunner. At the time of writing he is the only declared candidate, and if the contest is unchallenged he could become Prime Minister by around 20 July 2026.

If you own a leasehold flat, it’s natural to wonder whether a new person at the top changes the outlook for leasehold reform. The honest answer is: probably less, and more slowly, than the headlines might suggest. Here’s why.

Reform was already moving — before any leadership change

The current direction of travel on leasehold predates this leadership contest and is well established. The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 is already law. On top of it, the government announced a Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill for the 2026–27 parliamentary session, aimed at making commonhold a genuine alternative to leasehold and strengthening protections for leaseholders.

That programme is substantial. A draft bill was published in January 2026 and has already been through pre-legislative scrutiny by the relevant Commons committee, which concluded the government should “go further and faster.” Measures under discussion include making commonhold conversion possible where at least half of qualifying leaseholders agree, a cap on ground rents, and stronger regulation of managing agents.

The key point for leaseholders: this machinery is already turning, and it isn’t tied to one individual. A change of Prime Minister doesn’t reset it.

Where does Burnham stand on leasehold?

Burnham’s housing record is extensive, but it’s mostly about other areas — the private rented sector, council housebuilding, and reform of property taxes like council tax and stamp duty. On leasehold specifically, he has backed the existing government platform, including ending the sale of new leasehold flats and strengthening leaseholder protections, rather than setting out a distinct agenda of his own.

Because of that, leasehold specialists broadly expect continuity rather than a change of course. Some commentators have suggested a new PM might choose to speed reform up, to show early progress — but that is speculation, not a commitment, and it depends heavily on where the legislation sits in its timetable when any handover happens.

The part that’s easy to miss: timing

Even on the current plan, much of the reform that grabs headlines is years away. Major changes require primary legislation and, in many cases, further secondary legislation and consultation after that. The ground rent cap, for example, has been discussed for late 2027 or 2028, subject to Parliament. Commonhold becoming a widespread reality is a longer horizon still.

None of this is a reason for despair — the direction is genuinely towards more rights and more control for leaseholders. But it’s a reason not to put your own situation on hold waiting for it.

What you can actually do now

Here’s the throughline worth holding onto: a change of Prime Minister changes very little about what you can do today.

If your building is poorly run right now, there is already a route to take control that doesn’t depend on any pending bill — Right to Manage. It lets qualifying leaseholders in England and Wales take over the management of their own building, without buying the freehold, without a court case, and without proving the landlord did anything wrong. It exists today, under current law, whoever is Prime Minister.

Reform may well improve the landscape over the coming years. But for a building that’s frustrated now, the tools to act already exist — and they don’t need Parliament to catch up first.

This article is general information about leasehold and current events, not legal or financial advice. Right to Manage applies in England and Wales only. Reform timelines described here are subject to parliamentary process and may change.