HARVIE ON RIGHT TO BUY: INVESTMENT STILL NEEDED
Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, is welcoming the Scottish Government’s decision to end council tenants’ right to buy by 2017 but is warning that investment is still needed to boost Scotland’s housing stock.
Tenants who have the right to buy will have a period of three years to exercise it following the assent of the Housing Bill, expected next year.
Patrick Harvie said:
“Over the years right-to-buy has benefited thousands of people individually but it has also cost society dear by leaving many thousands more people sitting on waiting lists or living in substandard homes. Scrapping it is a wise if long overdue move, and will go some way towards helping councils meet the continuing demand for affordable homes.
“Investment in social housing still needs to be improved. Scrapping right to buy won’t happen overnight so in the meantime ministers need to protect the housing budget rather than raiding it for more socially and environmentally damaging projects.”