The future of Right to Buy and Right to Acquire - a White Paper for social housing

Over the last 30 years or so the Right to Buy and Right to Acquire have allowed many tenants in social housing to buy their home from their local authority or housing association. As a result there has been a significant reduction in our social housing stock. The reduced number of social rented homes available to help people who are on housing waiting lists is adding to the pressures on housing supply and on people’s ability to find a home they can afford.

In the current financial climate for housing economic and other factors have combined to cause considerable pressure on the supply of homes. The pressures affect many but the effect on people whose needs cannot be met by the housing market is particularly noticeable. Some people cannot afford to buy a home or to rent a home from a private landlord. They are dependent on social housing or some other form of subsidised provision. Social housing is a particularly important safety net.

This white paper puts forward 2 proposals for public consultation. Both are aimed at protecting the social housing stock from further reduction:

• changing existing legislation – which will reduce the maximum discount available to a tenant who applies to buy their home from their council or housing association landlord
• developing new legislation – which if passed by the National Assembly for Wales will end the Right to Buy and Right to Acquire.