Lindsay Kirby

“I joined the J4PR movement because I believe there has been a fundamental shift away from protecting legitimate property rights and towards legislation that unfairly penalises responsible owners and investors. Time and again, new laws are introduced to address the behaviour of a small minority who abuse the system, yet the consequences fall on the overwhelming majority who have acted professionally, ethically and within the law. Many of us have invested significant time and capital into property as a long-term investment, often as part of our pension planning, with the expectation that the legal framework under which we invested would remain fair and balanced.

Rather than targeting poor practice, legislation is removing legitimate rights from responsible owners who acquired these investments in good faith under the law as it existed at the time. This creates uncertainty, undermines confidence in the UK property market and sends a worrying message that lawful property rights can be eroded retrospectively.

The result is that many professional investors are reconsidering or restructuring their portfolios and moving away from sectors where the rules are continually changing. That is a real loss, not only for those who have invested responsibly but also for the wider housing sector. Responsible freeholders and ground rent owners all play an important role in managing, maintaining and investing in residential property. Good legislation should deal firmly with those who abuse the system, but it should not do so at the expense of the responsible majority who have provided a valuable service and invested in good faith.”