‘Bribe To Buy’ Blast in Homes Crisis

Leeds’s housing boss says council tenants’ right to buy their homes is more a “bribe” to buy - and should be scrapped.  Coun Pete Gruen was speaking as figures obtained by the YEP revealed that the controversial scheme is having a major impact on the city’s overall housing crisis. Experts say a radical overhaul is needed to allow supply of council homes to catch up with demand. The authority has raked in £350m from selling off 10,000 council houses in the last decade – yet it currently has funding to build just 105. Official figures also show that the number of Leeds council tenants using their right to buy has increased in the last year since a maximum 70 per cent discount was introduced, meaning the council is losing its stock faster than it is replacing it. The authority has sold more council homes in the last year than it is planning to build in the next three. Read more on the Yorkshire Evening Post website.