With the leasehold scandal ongoing, and long-promised reform still some way off or incomplete, leasehold enfranchisement is arguably more important than ever.

It will be welcome news, then, for the millions affected by the scandal that Zurich Insurance Group has extended its sponsorship of the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners (ALEP) for an extra year.

ALEP, which will celebrate its fifteenth anniversary in 2022, is a not-for-profit association made up of 250 member organisations that brings together barristers, managing agents, project managers, solicitors and valuers working in the residential leasehold sector.  

It aims to promote best practice by vetting individual barristers and organisations to ensure they have significant expertise in leasehold enfranchisement.

The association says membership of ALEP acts as a badge of assurance so that leaseholders and freeholders can be confident that they are employing professionals with the right level of expertise in handling potentially complex transactions – as is often the case with leaseholds where people attempt to buy the freehold or extend their lease agreement, or work together with others in their apartment block to purchase the freehold from the landlord in what is commonly known as collective enfrachisement. 

Zurich, a global insurance company, has been one of ALEP’s primary sponsors since 2019 and has supported the association’s growth into one of the leading voices in the leasehold sector.  

“We are thrilled that Zurich has decided to renew their sponsorship of ALEP for another year. The company has been a vital support for the Association, especially in supporting us through the last year, where we have had to adapt to hosting our events online and working from home,” Clare Grove, ALEP’s communications and marketing manager, said.

“We look forward to continuing to work with Zurich to find new opportunities within their sponsorship and ways in which the two groups can mutually support one another.” 

Matthew Austwick, account executive at Zurich, added: “Our ongoing association with ALEP is testament to the success of the sponsorship over the last year. We hope to continue our backing of the Association to help it to offer a vital voice at the forefront the enfranchisement sector.”