Housing Solicitors

Research by The Rental Exchange has found that nearly one-third (29%) of social housing tenants would like to own their own home using Right-to-Buy.

The Rental Exchange is a partnership between Experian and Big Issue Invest which collates information from social and private landlords about tenants’ payment history. Rental payments can now be factored into credit ratings for individuals. The Rental Exchange will also collect data to help service providers assess budgets and risk.

Researchers questioned more than 1,000 social housing tenants and found that those aged 18-34 were the most ambitious when it came to getting on the property ladder, with 55% hoping to own their own home.

Online publisher ,a href="http://www.whatmortgage.co.uk/news/third-social-housing-tenants-hope-buy/?http://www.whatmortgage.co.uk/news/third-social-housing-tenants-hope-buy/?">What Mortgage reports that 57% of social housing tenants questioned were also happy to remain living where they were rather than buy their own home.

Just 4% of social housing tenants questioned said they would like to move out of social housing and rent a home in the private sector.

A total of 3% said they would like to move out of current social housing shared with their family and move into their own home.

The manager of Experian’s UK&I consumer information services, Jonathan Westley, said:

“Millions of social housing tenants have little or no credit history, so have been excluded from affordable credit – or paid a premium for it.

“For credit providers to lend responsibly – and also prevent fraud – they need a more complete view of customers’ financial commitments and payment history.

“Social housing tenants are a dynamic, broad mix of people who have varied aspirations for the future.

“On average, social housing tenants have lived in their homes for 12 years – yet their regular monthly payments are not taken into account when applying for credit in the same way that mortgage payments are for homeowners. Rental Exchange will change this.”

Around 4.8 million people in the UK live in social housing – and among current tenants, 66% have lived in social housing for more than ten years.


The government has increased the discount for social housing tenants who buy their homes under Right-to-Buy, with the current discount set at £100,000.

In some areas, this has encouraged more social housing tenants to buy their homes. However, some local authorities are now buying back homes previously sold under Right-to-Buy when they come on the market in an attempt to provide more social housing.

Duncan Lewis Housing Solicitors

Duncan Lewis housing solicitors can advise social housing tenants and rental tenants on a wide range of housing matters, including:

• Disrepair of rental property
• Housing Benefit
• Landlord & Tenant disputes
• Local Authority housing
• Unlawful eviction.

Duncan Lewis is also a leading Legal Aid solicitor.

For expert legal advice on housing matters, call Duncan Lewis housing solicitors on 020 7923 4020.