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Welsh government allows Cardiff Council to suspend Right to Buy (2 August 2017)

Date: 02/08/2017
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, Welsh government allows Cardiff Council to suspend Right to Buy

The Welsh Assembly has announced the suspension of Right to Buy in Cardiff, to ensure social housing is available to those who need it.

Communities and Children Secretary Carl Sargeant made the announcement on Friday – the move comes as Welsh government legislation to abolish the Right to Buy across the whole of Wales is proceeding through the Assembly.

Right to Buy allows eligible social housing tenants to buy their council or housing association property at a discount – however, the proposed legislation will end these rights, protecting social housing stock across Wales from further depletion.

The Welsh government says that, over the last 30 years, Right to Buy has resulted in a significant reduction in social housing stock – between 1981 and 2014, a total of 138,709 council homes were sold, representing a 45% reduction in social housing available from when the policy was first introduced.

Research also indicates that many of these homes end up in the private rented sector – and, as a result, cost local people more to rent, as well as the public purse more in Housing Benefit, in some cases.

Welsh Assembly Communities Secretary Carl Sargeant said:

“I have agreed to Cardiff Council’s application to suspend the Right to Buy, to help them deal with the pressure their social housing is facing – and to ensure that homes are available to those who need them.

“While this will help one area for a short period of time, we also need to address this issue for the long term – this is why we are legislating to abolish the Right to Buy in Wales.

“The Right to Buy is depleting our social housing stock – this damaging policy is further increasing the pressure on our social housing supply and is forcing many vulnerable people to wait longer for a home.

“Legislating to end the Right to Buy is the only sure way to prevent this and give social landlords the confidence to invest in building more of the affordable homes Wales needs.”


Cardiff Council Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, Councillor Lynda Thorne added:

“I am very pleased that Welsh government has granted the council permission to suspend the Right to Buy scheme in Cardiff for five years – local authorities are able to do this in areas of housing pressure and that is certainly the case in Cardiff.

“Cardiff is one of the UK’s fastest growing cities – and with over 8,000 people currently on the waiting list for social housing, we have to do everything we can to ensure we are providing good quality housing for those most in need, both now and into the future.

“In 1985, the council had 23,000 properties – but largely through the Right to Buy, that figure has reduced our current stock to in the region of 13,400 properties.

“This decision enables us to safeguard our much needed housing provision for current and future generations.”


Duncan Lewis Housing Solicitors

Duncan Lewis Housing Solicitors can advise on a wide range of housing law, including advising developers and self builders on planning permissions and planning appeals.

There are Duncan Lewis offices across England and Wales and our housing team is also able to advise on:

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