Lord Patel of Bradford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Patel of Bradford on 2015-11-02.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in implementing the proposed voluntary agreement with housing associations regarding the extended right to buy, how they will safeguard the land interests of charities that have been acquired by charitable donation.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

Under the voluntary agreement with the National Housing Federation, there will be a presumption that housing association tenants will have the right to purchase their home at Right to Buy level discounts, but associations will not be obliged to sell particular properties where there are reasons why this would not be in the interests of their operations.

This includes housing associations exercising discretion over the sale of properties provided through charitable or public-benefit resources or bequeathed for charitable or public-benefit purposes, and in the possession of the housing association before it became registered under the Housing Act 1974 (or later equivalent legislation).