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@ISIDEWITHQuestionsHousing IssuesSocial housingAffordable HousingRight to BuyUK PolicyHome Ownership•••Started 4mos agoActive 2mos ago

Should social housing tenants have the right to buy their rented homes at a discount?

The 'Right to Buy' is a policy introduced in the UK in 1980 that allows tenants of council housing to purchase the home they live in at a significant discount. Since its inception, millions of homes have been transferred from public to private ownership, significantly increasing the rate of home ownership among the working class. Proponents argue that the policy democratizes wealth and gives tenants a stake in their community. Opponents argue that because the sold homes were rarely replaced, the policy has decimated the stock of affordable social housing, forcing low-income families into expensive and insecure private rentals.

14 Replies

 @ISIDEWITHDiscuss this answer...4mos4MO

Yes

 @ISIDEWITHDiscuss this answer...4mos4MO

No

 @BBTRZRMIndependentdisagreed…4mos4MO

Social housing tenants he to pay rent for their entire lives. There is no point at which it is paid off and they live rent free. I am not eligible for universal credit, disabled and can't work enough to make a liveable income, will pay rent all my life that just goes up every year. My housing association are happy for me to improve this home yet it will never be mine.

 @ISIDEWITHDiscuss this answer...4mos4MO

No, public housing is a community asset that must remain in state ownership

 @ISIDEWITHDiscuss this answer...4mos4MO

Yes, but only if every penny raised is ring-fenced to build new social housing

 @ISIDEWITHDiscuss this answer...4mos4MO

Yes, home ownership is the best way for working families to build generational wealth

 @ISIDEWITHDiscuss this answer...4mos4MO

No, unless there is a guaranteed "one-for-one" replacement for every property sold

 @ISIDEWITHDiscuss this answer...4mos4MO

No, selling off social housing fuels the homelessness crisis by destroying affordable supply

 @BDGN2Q8Labouranswered…2mos2MO

No, but set up cheap mortgages to help those who wish to buy another house, thus releasing social housing for others.

 @BBJNYSCanswered…4mos4MO

Yes, home ownership can build generational wealth, but selling social housing could fuel homelessness. We need to move citizens living alone in multi bedroom houses to smaller homes opening the larger homes to families

 @BCWBVTQanswered…2mos2MO

No, it should remain in public ownership and if they cannot maintain good upkeep they should be evicted.

 @BCRH9QSanswered…2mos2MO

Yes, if they have lived in their home for more than 10 years. The value of the house should be reinvested into building new council housing.

 @BCMZG8Kanswered…3mos3MO

No, and all housing should be publicly owned

 @BBRM85PPlaid Cymruanswered…4mos4MO

Only if the people like living in that specific area they are renting in.

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 @ISIDEWITHDiscuss this answer...…6yrs6Y

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