Queen's speech - key announcements affecting property in England

Following the Queen's speech the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government has issued a press release highlighting:

• Plans to implement a lifetime deposit scheme which will see a tenant's deposit move with them from property to property.

• Confirmation the Government will proceed with plans to abolish no fault evictions. However, this will be combined with new powers to 'strengthen the rights of landlords to gain possession of their property through the courts when they have a clearly valid reason to do so'.

• A continued focus on affordable housing including plans to allow councils to use housing developers' contributions to discount homes by at least 30% for local people and key workers. The discount will be secured through a covenant so the homes will remain discounted in perpetuity.

• Confirmation the Government will proceed with leasehold reform including legislation to ban leasehold houses and reduce ground rents to zero. It will look to reinvigorate commonhold and Right to Manage.

• Reform of building safety laws and a New Home Ombudsman to be introduced.

• A commitment to a fundamental review of business rates.

• A Planning White Paper will be published.

• An English devolution white paper will be produced.

Further detail on these proposals is set out in the background briefing notes to the Queen's speech.