UK leaseholders could get right to demand gigabit broadband

The government is consulting on plans to give flat leaseholders a formal right to request gigabit broadband, curbing freeholders' ability to block fibre installations.

The proposals aim to address one of the biggest gaps in the UK's broadband rollout, where leasehold flats remain far less likely than houses to have access to full fibre.

Ministers say the changes could unlock faster connections for up to 1.2 million homes, though renters would still be excluded from the new rights.

New fibre access rights for leaseholders

Under the government's Legislative proposals to address broadband rollout in leasehold flats, published on 15 December 2025, leaseholders in flats would gain a formal legal right to request the installation of gigabit-capable broadband in their building.

Freeholders would be required to consider and respond to those requests, and would no longer be able to refuse access without a valid reason where new infrastructure is needed in shared parts of a building.

Liz Lloyd, Minister for Telecoms, said refusals would need to be reasonable, with the consultation setting out circumstances where access could still be denied, including safety, structural impact, or disproportionate disruption.

The changes would apply to leaseholders in England and Wales, creating a structured request process rather than an automatic right to installation.

Lloyd, commented, "Measures like these are about fairness and improving the playing field for consumers, giving them better broadband connectivity. Whether you're in a block of flats, a house, or a rural property, we want everyone to have access to the fast, reliable broadband needed for modern life.

"These proposed measures would help deliver better connectivity for properties that face additional challenges to gigabit broadband rollout, and will ensure all UK families can benefit from the digital age."

Why flats lag on gigabit broadband

The government estimates that around 1.2 million flats in England and Wales still lack access to gigabit-capable broadband, with access constraints in leasehold buildings identified as a key cause.

In multi-dwelling buildings, broadband providers typically require permission from a freeholder to install new infrastructure in shared areas such as risers, hallways, or external walls.

Government analysis notes that network operators have highlighted difficulties in identifying the correct parties to negotiate access with, alongside a lack of incentives for freeholder engagement, which can delay or block deployments of gigabit-capable broadband to flats.

This combination of legal access requirements and building-level control has left flats consistently behind houses in the UK's wider full-fibre rollout.

Renters excluded from new rights

One gap in the proposals is that the consultation does not propose giving renters the same right to request gigabit-capable broadband, meaning tenants would still need to rely on their landlord to initiate or approve an installation.

The proposals also stop short of creating an automatic right to install infrastructure, instead setting out a process for leaseholders to make requests that freeholders must consider.

Lloyd is asking whether similar access rights should be extended to tenants in future, and whether further changes are needed to reduce delays where freeholders fail to respond.

The consultation is open until 16 February 2026, with the government expected to decide next steps after responses are reviewed.

Solution or partial fix?

The measures are intended to reduce delays caused by freeholder refusal or inaction, but much will depend on how "unreasonable refusal" is defined and enforced in practice.

While the consultation outlines circumstances where access could be denied, it leaves open questions about how quickly disputes would be resolved and what incentives freeholders would have to engage.

There is also a risk that outcomes vary between buildings, particularly where freeholders are slow to respond rather than actively opposing installations.

Without extending similar rights to renters, access issues may persist in mixed-occupancy buildings where leaseholders and tenants are affected differently by the same infrastructure decisions.