Housing shortage, what housing shortage?

[Kaz]

I know

[miasmum]

Can I ask a question and its probably a very silly question, because I am not ever so clever, but

When Maggie bought out the Right to Buy Scheme and so many people bought their council houses, where did the money go?

[Workingman]

Half the money went to the Treasury with the other half going back to councils. However the proviso was that a council had to use it to pay off its debts, only then could any left over be used to build new social housing. With councils being the profligate wasters of money that we know them to be there was not much left to build houses... so they didn't.

[miasmum]

That makes perfect sense Thank you

[Suff]

WM, they probably would not have anyway, because it was such a nightmare. I was aware of Scottish schemes in the late 80's which had to be done in private partnership, through charitable housing associations, in order to keep the properties as rentals and available for those who needed them most.

I had a look and the original scheme gave 75% of the money back to the councils. Championed by Heseltine. After Heseltine was moved to defence, that was eroded to 50%.

When Blair came to power and gave Scotland their Assembly, Labour won the vote and went on a "right to buy" spree that tried to destroy every estate in Scotland by forcing the estates to sell to crofters. Private land and all. They didn't succeed but they did succeed in ensuring that virtually all charitable housing association homes wound up in the right to buy scheme. Effectively killing off that way of securing homes for the vulnerable.

Local assemblies... Be careful what you wish for. You might just get it!