Legal News

David Cameron has unveiled the Conservative Party’s Election Manifesto with a pledge that a Tory government would extend Right-to-Buy to housing association tenants.

Right-to-Buy was introduced by Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government in the 1980s.

BBC News reports that the Tories estimate a further 1.3 million households would be able to buy their home at a discounted price if Right-to-Buy is extended to housing association tenants. Currently, housing association tenants have a Right-to-Acquire their homes, but the discounts available are smaller than Right-to-Buy.

Mr Cameron added that for every house sold under Right-to-Buy another would be built.

Labour has criticised the proposal, calling it an “unfunded” policy.

The Conservatives have also pledged to “unlock the construction” of 400,000 new homes on brownfield land across the UK.

The proposal will funded by new rules which would force councils to sell properties they own, specifically those among the most expensive third of their type in the local area.

Housing is one of the major issues for all parties in the run up to the election in May. Right-to-Buy has been criticised as being one of the underlying causes of a shortage in affordable homes, with many former council properties sold to the private sector now being rented out at market rates to private tenants.

Several councils have announced they will be buying back former council homes sold under Right-to-Buy, in an attempt to provide more social housing.

Mr Cameron’s announcement also follows news that the Welsh government has given Swansea council permission to suspend Right-to-Buy for five years, to maintain the level of current public sector housing stock.

The Conservatives’ former coalition partners, the Liberal Democrats, are expected to announce the party’s own housing policies – which will involve the a Liberal Democrat government commissioning the building of new homes, including a pledge to build at least ten new garden cities in England and 300,00 new homes a year.

It is estimated that around 250,000 new homes will need to be built every year to keep pace with the rising population of the UK.

Labour has already launched its manifesto and has pledged a house building fund for first-time buyers, which would be funded by banks and would create 125,000 new homes.

The Conservative Party has called the scheme “ill thought-through” – and has pledged that 200,000 homes will be made available to first-time buyers in England by 2020 if the party wins the election.

Labour leader Ed Miliband said, however, that house building had fallen to its lowest level in the UK for 100 years and added:

“A Labour government will get Britain building again.”

Duncan Lewis Housing Solicitors

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

• Conveyancing services
• Debt management
• Disrepair of rented property
• Housing possession
• Landlord and Tenant disputes
• Lease extensions
• Local Authority housing (including Section 193 obligations to house)
• Mortgage repossession
• Nuisance neighbours
• Right-to Acquire
• Right-to-Buy
• Section 146 Notice (Notice to quit)
• Unlawful eviction.

Duncan Lewis is also a leading provider of Legal Aid housing services.

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