‘Right to Buy’ on the increase again
15th December 2015

The number of social housing tenants in England buying their homes via the Government’s Right to Buy scheme is increasing yet again and now stands at five times the number of the lowest point five years ago, according to Government figures.

Some 12,304 homes were bought this way in 2014-15, over 9% higher than the previous year and over double the number for 2012-13.

Social tenants in England buying their homes this way – often a trigger for investing in home improvements such as windows, doors, conservatories etc – declined rapidly from 2006 to a low point of 2,375 in 2010, largely attributed to the financial crisis. More recently however, increases in discount incentives – including a boost in the maximum discount for London homes in 2013 – have driven more people to purchase leading to a current seven-year high.

The London boost has helped the capital’s boroughs account for 31% of all English sales in the last complete quarter as against only 12% in the same quarter of ’06-’07.

Further details can be found here.