Legal action may happen
Legal action may be the only way forward for Housing Associations if the Government extends right to buy to their tenants, said the former head of the Civil Service.
Sir Bob Kerslake, the chair of Peabody Housing and secretary at the Department for Communities and Local Government reportedly said “We haven’t ruled out the possibility of legal action.” He also mentioned that in London where the housing crisis is most critical, the government should ringfence the right to buy receipts to build homes or decouple the forced sales of council owned assets.
Local authorities would have to sell off their most expensive council homes to fund the extension further diminishing social-housing stock.
Deputy mayor for housing Rick Blakeway reportedly said that between 2,000 to 6,000 Housing Association tenants would be likely to use their right to buy every year, he added that if right to buy cash were to be retained in the capital, two homes with a mix of social and affordable rents for every one sold could be built in London.
Labour has tabled an amendment to the charities bill that would pave the way for a prolonged parliamentary battle over one of the Conservatives most controversial policies, this move will have the support from a cross party group of peers which will include Lord Kerslake who is a crossbencher.
The Tory plans of extending of the right-to-buy to housing asssociation tenants appears to be far away from any conclusion and as opposition grows looks more and more likely not to happen.