Grant Shapps launches fresh push of Right to Buy

Housing minister Grant Shapps has said that it is vital the tenants of council houses around the UK are given better information regarding the Right To Buy scheme. The offer from the government allows tenants to purchase their rental homes for a highly discounted price.

It was re-launched earlier this year, after the government said that the scheme, which was originally introduced in 1981, had become stagnant due to the number of people taking it up dropping significantly when various local authorities reduced what discounts they were offering to residents.

And now it is looking to increase uptake in Right to Buy by making access to information surrounding the scheme easier for people who want to make the move from being a tenant to a homeowner for the first time.

Mr Shapps said that a dedicated call centre has now been set up which will help the 2.5 million social housing tenants across the UK get more information that they require about the changes, and how they could go about saving £75,000 on the cost of their home.

This will be accompanied by a new website which will serve as a guide on how to get onto the UK property ladder through this method of entry.

Mr Shapps said: "For years, the Right to Buy for council tenants was undermined by punitive cuts to the discounts available, locking the door to home ownership for millions of hard-working people.

"Now, our revitalised Right to Buy scheme has trebled the discount in many areas, and has led to a surge in interest from aspiring homeowners across the country. But our research clearly shows that too many tenants are still in the dark about what this could mean for them."

He said that it was important that the scheme is pushed as much as possible to assist people who have worked hard and kept up to date on their rental homes be able to purchase something that they can feel proud of.