Leaseholders have been getting a rough deal for too long.

Reform has been a long time coming and new laws, that some say do not go far enough, are still some way off.

And leaseholders can be forgiven for holding their heads in their hands now the Court of Appeal has decided Leasehold Valuation Tribunals cannot order freeholders to repay some service charges.

This may be no more than a temporary blip, something that will be ironed out by the forthcoming Leasehold Reform Bill.

Our MPs must make sure it is a blip and the tribunals are given back their powers in the bill, which is expected to start its progress through Parliament this autumn.

The tribunals might not be perfect but they offer leaseholders a way of challenging their freeholders without the heartache of going through the courts.

Leaseholding is an archaic system that should be abolished but, in the meantime, leaseholders should be given a much better deal.