Housing associations right to buy

Summary

The extension of Right to Buy into the housing association sector will potentially have wide reaching implications not just for housing associations but also local authorities. This CIPFA Briefing explores the potential impact of the government’s plans.

Format

PDF

Published

Oct

Author

CIPFA

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Right to Buy was introduced in the 1980’s and allowed local authority tenants to buy their properties at a discount. The introduction of Right to Buy into the housing association sector will potentially have wide reaching implications not just for housing associations but also local authorities and the wider public finances. 

The government has announced that the cost of discounts for the Right to Buy scheme will be met from the sale of high value vacant local authority properties, estimated by the government to be worth £4.5bn. Any additional money raised will be used to support replacement build and the development of a brownfield regeneration fund. 

This CIPFA Briefing takes a look at the possible consequences of this policy.