Council slams government's Budget changes to Right to Buy rules

Published by Max Salsbury for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Central Government, Local Government

A council has slammed the government's plans to make it easier for people to buy social homes by changing Right to Buy rules.

Brighton & Hove City Council has condemned the plans that include increasing discounts on Right to Buy properties from £75,000 to £100,000, and cutting the period of time tenants must have occupied a home before they are able to buy from five years to three years.

The council's leader, Councillor Jason Kitcat, said: “Right to Buy is unsustainable as council homes are flogged off at a huge government-imposed discount meaning we can’t afford to replace them.

"Across the UK families on low incomes are deprived of affordable housing because of biggest privatisation programme this country has ever seen.

“It’s perverse that in Brighton & Hove, 42 percent of flats built especially for those on the lowest incomes are now owned by landlords renting them out at full rates. And when council houses are sold, so is the land – stripping the council of both money and space to replace them.

“If the government is serious about making the cost of living affordable and accessible, they should focus on tackling the soaring and unregulated private rents, or the current 30-year low in new homes being built.

"Cheaper mortgages for second homes and bigger Right to Buy discounts do nothing to help those in greatest housing need.”