The UK Government is planning to ban upward-only rent reviews in new commercial leases across England and Wales under the proposed English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. This reform aims to revitalize town centres and reduce long-term retail vacancies by making commercial rents more flexible.Under the new rules, landlords can still use fixed, stepped, index-linked, turnover-based, or market-reviewed rents provided the reviews allow both upward and downward adjustments. Existing leases with upward-only clauses will remain valid until they expire.While the move is intended to boost local economies, it has raised concerns among landlords, investors, and property professionals, particularly regarding the impact on property values and investment confidence. The proposal is expected to be debated in Parliament later this year.