Leasehold law, public inquiries, weddings and surrogacy are all potential areas for law reform in the Law Commission’s 13th Programme.
The Commission is consulting for its programme of work up to 2020. The Commission says it is aware of dissatisfaction with the assignation of leases, security of tenure for business tenants and the regime governing agricultural tenancies. Wedding law focuses on regulating the buildings in which marriage ceremonies can take place, which restricts choice for couples, while the Commission has already received wide support for reform of surrogacy laws (see further p 8).
The Commission has also published a report recommending greater protection from logbook loans by giving borrowers and buyers similar protections to those offered by hire-purchase law. Missed payments usually lead to high charges and the loss of the vehicle. Unsuspecting buyers may have to pay off the logbook loan or lose the vehicle.