The Government has unveiled its long-awaited trial scheme to extend Right to Buy to housing association tenants, starting in the midlands.
The Conservative party pledged in its 2015 election manifesto that it would extend Right to Buy from council tenants to those in housing associations.
It has now launched a £200m Voluntary Right to Buy Pilot for housing association tenants in the midlands.
Tenants can register online, and places will be allocated through a ballot that closes on September 16, with the pilot running until spring 2020.
The Government will fully fund the Right to Buy discounts – which will be at the same level that council tenants receive – and housing associations will have to use the receipts from the sales to fund replacement homes.
James Brokenshire, Housing Secretary, said: “This Government is committed to providing opportunities for people to get a foot on the property ladder and to have a place they can call their own.
“Our £200m investment into the Midlands Voluntary Right to Buy Pilot is the first step in helping housing association tenants realise their dream of home ownership.”
David Orr, chief executive of the National Housing Federation, said: “Over the past three years we have worked closely with the government on its proposal to extend the Right to Buy to housing association tenants. Of course, this pilot is not the finished product. We want to take the time to get this major endeavour right.
“It will be a success for everyone involved only if every home that is sold is replaced with a new affordable home, and if the application process is as smooth as possible for tenants.”
Right to buy has reduced the supply of social housing and is part of the housing problems which started with Thatcher. It was a clever vote buyer as it changed tenants who voted labour into house owners ( at heavily discounted prices) who voted conservative! But they never replaced the housing and spent the money elsewhere. There is a difference between so called affordable homes (not affordable to many on low incomes) and social housing rented to council tenants at low rents. Then everyone moans because they do not like market rents. This is not a policy to be proud of Mr Brokenshire. Committed? perhaps the conservative party should be!
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
I have never liked Right to buy and never will be. Yes there needs to be ways to get people on to the housing ladder, but the reason the house market is over inflated is because people are buying property who in reality shouldnt be. Council houses should stay as council houses, as we all know the stock wont be replaced.
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
simply there is not sufficient supply but a mix of tenure is desirable. Removing social housing by assert stripping is a significant part of the housing crisis caused directly by the government despite their political spin blaming the private rented sector. Furthermore they continue with their failed policy and continue to blame others namely the PRS.
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
Did we not learn anything from last time? Right-to-Buy decimated the housing stock in certain areas. And a while after they had purchased them, they sold them on for full market value, basically getting a large equity deposit for free. Which really rankled when you were trying to negotiate an offer with them, knowing they paid £25k for it, and were quibbling over an offer of £123k on a £124,950 price…
And WHERE is the Government finding this money from? Would it not be better given to the NHS or our battered Police force? And these ‘affordable’ new homes, will they be built to the same standard as some of the new builds that have been in the news recently, with dodgy brick-work, leaks and all the rest?
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register