WIREDGOV

The Welsh Government’s proposals to protect and increase the stock of social housing yesterday moved forward as the assembly voted to agree the general principles of the Abolition of the Right to Buy and Associated Rights (Wales) Bill.

The Bill aims to protect the stock of social housing in Wales from further reduction, ensuring it is available to provide safe, secure and affordable housing for people who are unable to buy or rent a home of their own. It complements other actions being taken by the Welsh Government to increase the supply of housing.

Proposing the motion to agree the general principles of the Bill, Communities and Children Secretary Carl Sargeant said:

“This Bill aims to protect the supply of social housing from further erosion in the face of a high level of demand and a shortage of supply.

“Between 1981 and 2016, over 139,000 local authority and housing association homes were sold under these schemes. This has resulted in people in housing need, many of whom are vulnerable, waiting longer to access a home they can afford.

“By abolishing the Right to Buy and Right to Acquire, the Bill will also encourage social landlords to invest in new social housing safe in the knowledge that it won’t be at risk of having to be sold after only a few years.”

Following the agreement of the general principles of the Bill, a consultation on the information document that will be issued to tenants is intended to be launched tomorrow. A series of tenant engagement events hosted by the Tenant Participation Advisory Service Cymru will form a key element of the consultation. The consultation will also focus on best practice for tenant engagement and will inform advice to be provided to social landlords on disseminating the information.