Council Look Set to Back Scottish Government Plan to End of Right to Buy

With the ongoing consultation in Scotland for the future of Right To Buy, a local council looks
set to back the complete abolishment of the current legislation. The Scottish Government is consulting the public on whether to modernise or totally abolish the Right to Buy until the end of August for all social housing. Perth and Kinross Council are set to back the end of right to buy as council officers have recommended. The area has a severe lack of council housing.

While the move is likely to upset council tenants who have a desire to own their property one day, Alex Salmond has tried to reassure them with alternatives. He said the government are putting several billion pounds into social housing over the next three years including millions into the Affordable Housing Investment Programme. Indirectly through grants, the programme provides new homes for rent and affordable homes to buy. Alex Salmond previously said, “We will introduce a Housing Bill to safeguard that housing for future generations. The Bill will end the right to buy for all new-supply social housing. And there will be plenty of such stock coming on stream because we are putting record investment into social housing – £5 billion over the next three years. This includes £4 million this year in our Affordable Housing Investment Programme. Approvals have already been made to allow work to start this financial year on 1,343 council houses supported by the first tranche of & million, the first central Government funding to encourage local authorities to build new housing in 30 years. This compares with just six council houses built during the four years of the last administration and, if I remember correctly all six were in Shetland. And that & million will support up to 3,000 jobs.”

The legislation to implement Right To Buy, where a council tenant can purchase their property after a certain number of years, was passed in the Housing Act 1980. It has since seen revisions.

Alongside this move, the Scottish Government is attempting to introduce a new law to stop bankrupt people losing their homes unnecessarily. There will be a review of possible solutions looking at whether legislation could prevent creditors from taking the homes of people in debt to them.