RIBBLE Valley MP Nigel Evans is urging the government to speed up their plans to introduce new leasehold legislation.

Legal clauses in contracts have trapped families in their own homes, with some homeowners forced to pay third party companies to change their carpets or replace doors.

A major concern is the growing cost of property freeholds for leasehold owners.

They constitute a yearly fee for tenants that rise every ten years, and in some cases double each ten years until the 50th anniversary.

This can effectively make leasehold houses unsaleable.

According to data provided by the Land Registry, the North West has a disproportionally large number of leasehold properties.

Mr Evans attended a lobby by The National Leasehold Campaign at Westminster where he met constituent Hugh Donaldson (NOT OUR AREA).

The Tory MP said: “These demonstrators are absolutely right.

"Very little progress has been made on the area of leasehold reform.

"We must find space to debate and pass legislation for leasehold reform.

"I will be raising questions to the housing minister to ask for faster progression on the bill.”