Councils Fight to Limit Right-To-Buy Home Sales

Councils are setting themselves up as private landlords to protect their diminishing housing stock from the rejuvenated right-to-buy scheme first introduced by Margaret Thatcher. The government’s increase in the discount offered to tenants has prompted a massive increase in purchases of local authority accommodation. Across the country, councils are setting up wholly owned private companies that can buy up housing stock to rent out as council homes. These homes are exempt from the right-to-buy policy, which was revamped by the coalition in 2012, allowing social housing tenants to buy their homes after three years, rather than five – and with an improved £75,000 discount. Read more on the Observer website.