Even when the current system of leasehold tribunals is seen to work, wronged leaseholders can still count the cost.
But the move to residential was given a push by the Leasehold, Reform and Urban Development Act of 1993, which gave leaseholders the right to buy their property.
The Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act made it easier for residential leaseholders to buy their properties.
The councils revealed they have sold 127,763 leasehold properties – typically flats and maisonettes – with 47,994 leaseholders now living at another address, a strong indication that the home is being sublet.
At the time of lobbying Scully, Icac said, Obeid "was influenced in making the representations by knowing that Circular Quay leaseholders had donated $50,000 to the Australian Labor party as payment for carrying out of what they understood to be a promise that their interests as leaseholders would be looked after by the government".
Others are leaseholders who can't afford to buy anywhere in London on the £165,000 offered by the council.
Pickles proposes changing the law so that councils cannot charge right-to-buy leaseholders excessive repair bills.
The slums will be easier to shift out than the formal leaseholders, according to sources on the panel.
He also accepted a $50,000 donation to the Australian Labor party from other leaseholders on the understanding their interests would be looked after by the then-Labor state government, it found.
Icac has referred Obeid to the director of public prosecutions (DPP) for "misconduct in public office" relating to his alleged lobbying of Costa and Roozendaal to change government policy affecting the Circular Quay leases, and for lobbying of former minister Tripodi to change government policy regarding leaseholders.
Another 200 or so have stayed on at least a portion of their land, often as managers or leaseholders.
