Campaigners’ fury as coalition aims to sell off more council homes

Campaigners are stepping up the battle to defend council housing in Britain as local authorities, encouraged by the Conservative-led coalition, try to sell off more council homes to private firms and housing associations – leading, inevitably, to higher rents and a poorer deal for tenants.

by Keith Richmond
Friday, March 25th, 2011

Wycombe District Council, a Tory-run borough in south Buckinghamshire, is trying to ditch its social housing commitments by selling its homes to the operator Red Kite after a ballot of 7,215 tenants.

Defend Council Housing activists say that if the sale goes ahead there will be a repeat of what happened in south Wales last year when Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council sold 9,000 homes to NPT – which promptly raised the rents.

A DCH spokesman said: “The housing sell off is one threat and the coalition’s plan for short term tenancies at near market rents is another. Tenants will be much better able to influence local housing policies if council homes stay with the local council.

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About The Author

Keith Richmond is deputy editor of Tribune
  • Trevor

    For 13 years New Labour refused to invest in much-needed social housing. Just like the Tories and their snivelling little sidekicks, the Lib Dems, they subscribe to the Thatcherite mantra of the “home owning democracy” and to hell with the working-class poor who are left with no option other than council housing for a roof over their head.

    I foresee a massive housing crisis developing (not that our “Honourable” MPs could care less).

  • swatantra

    There already is a massive housing crisis thanks to the inaction of Govts of both Left and Right.
    But Council Housing is not the only answer for greater tenant protection.

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