David Cameron's flagship plan to extend the
right to buy to 1.3 million housing association tenants could be
implemented voluntarily under plans to be considered by ministers.
The National Housing Federation (NHF) - the trade body for the
associations - said it had put forward proposals which would mean that
they would not be forced to sell homes to tenants through legislation.The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) said it would look at the plan but denied that it represented a watering down of the Conservatives' general election manifesto pledge.
A Government spokesman insisted they were committed to ensuring all tenants had the chance to buy their home and that associations would be compelled to sell if they refused to do so.
The promise to give housing association tenants in England the right to purchase their properties at a discount under the same terms as council tenants was a plank of the Tories' election campaign - echoing Margaret Thatcher's original right-to-buy policy.
Under the NHF proposals the discount received by the tenants would be fully funded by the Government and every property sold would be replaced by another housing association home.
"Crucially, as the associations would not be compelled to sell stock under legislation, but entering an arrangement voluntarily with Government, the independence of the sector would be maintained," the NHF said in a statement.Read more Belfast Telegraph
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