Right to Buy: Housing Associations

Lord Best Excerpts

Monday 12th October 2015 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, the Government will expect housing associations to abide by their obligations in terms of homes for disabled people, for homeless people and for sufferers of domestic violence.

[Lord Best (CB)]

My Lords, the Government are very wise to back off from giving a statutory right to buy to housing association tenants. I congratulate the Secretary of State for coming to this compromise with the National Housing Federation. However, 55% of housing associations voted in favour of this. The rest have yet to make up their minds or voted against it. What will happen to the housing associations that do not voluntarily sell to their existing tenants?

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, as I understand it, 94% of housing associations signed up to this but the federation confirmed that the offer—

[Lord Best]

I think that 94% of the properties owned by housing associations are covered but only 55% of the housing associations themselves, many of them small bodies such as independent charities, have signed up to the deal.

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, I stand corrected by the noble Lord, who is far more expert than I am. However, the federation has confirmed that the offer is sector-wide and that it will encompass all housing association tenants. If necessary, the Homes and Communities Agency will be given additional powers to assess housing associations to a new homeownership standard. If necessary, we will take further steps to ensure that the right to buy is available to them, in line with our manifesto commitment.