Leasehold houses sold with ground rents that double every 10 years have been making the owners feel as if their money is as good as burning.  Future increases in the ground rents were so onerous it was making the houses difficult to sell.

This is now being put right by at least one property developer with millions of pounds being set aside to buy such freeholds.  It is now being argued that other house-builders should follow suit and end the practice of selling leasehold houses when there is no legal reason to do so.