Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Noel Baker

ALL local authorities are to be sent a circular from the Government in the coming days outlining a new sales strategy aimed at shifting thousands of affordable homes that are not being bought because of the housing crash.

The circular from the Department of the Environment will ask local authorities to review their current policies regarding social and affordable housing, and will be accompanied by a Sales Strategy prepared by the Affordable Homes Partnership (AHP).

City and county councils will be asked to identify and focus their efforts on properties that are most likely to sell, with alternative options to be considered for all properties, including:

Selling them at market value on the open market.

Temporarily transferring affordable properties to the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS).

Selling the houses to local authority tenants under the Incremental Purchase Scheme.

Or temporarily using the affordable properties as social housing support under appropriate leasing arrangements.