Shelter Welcomes Right To Buy Suspension In Perth And Kinross

Shelter Scotland today welcomed the news that the Right to Buy (RTB) has been suspended in some areas of Perth and Kinross. They are the seventh council to have applied to suspend Right to Buy.

The decision by the Scottish Executive to grant Pressured Area Status for areas of Perth and Kinross means some tenants within the designated areas will have the Right to Buy their rented council or housing association house suspended for five years.

James Jopling, Head of Campaigns, said: “We strongly support the suspension of the Right to Buy in parts of Perth and Kinross. There’s no doubt that the Right to Buy has been popular – but this has been at the expense of local authorities that are now struggling to meet housing need.

“It’s a shame Pressured Area Status is one of the only tools available to local authorities to control the loss of affordable homes for rent to the private market. Pressured Area Status still only applies to one per cent of all tenancies in Scotland which just shows just how limited a measure it is. The drastic lack of availability of affordable homes spreads wider than the areas awarded Pressured Area Status in this latest case.

“We need more affordable housing not just in Perth and Kinross but across Scotland as a whole – that’s why we’re urging the Executive to commit significantly more money for affordable housing through this year’s spending review.”