Millions of leaseholders to be given stronger rights to challenge rip-off service charges

The Mirror reports new government regulations giving leaseholders in England stronger rights to challenge service charges and limiting landlords' power to pass on legal costs. Most claims are attributed to the government, the Prime Minister and ministers. In its second sentence the Mirror states in its own voice what the protections will achieve, a forecast that belongs to the government. This is a minor lapse.

1. States one side's claim as fact

   Minor

   “New protections will stop struggling households from being left out of pocket and saddled with landlords’ legal bills for challenging fees.”

   Why this matters

   The Mirror says the protections "will stop" households being left out of pocket and "saddled with landlords’ legal bills". It says this in its own voice, with no attribution.

   The impression it gives

   A reader takes it as settled fact that the rules will end the problem of leaseholders paying landlords' legal bills.

   The context

   This is the government's forecast. The Mirror's next sentence attributes the narrower claim to the government: it will be "harder" for landlords to pass on costs, and they must still go to a court or tribunal to do so. LBC attributes the measures to "the Government said".

   How we know

   • Elsewhere in the article“the government said it will be harder for landlords to pass on legal costs”
   • LBC reported“the Government said, as Andy Burnham promised to end”Millions of leaseholders to get new powers to challenge ‘opaque’ service charges (opens in a new tab)