A Southend housing chief has said fewer council tenants will be able to buy their properties if Government changes to the right-to-buy scheme are enforced.

Mike Gatredge, the council's assistant director of housing, said Government plans to restrict maximum discounts to £16,000 could cause council tenants to think twice about buying their own homes.

He said: "We have yet to look at the details, but if they are applied across the board then it would lead to some tenants reviewing whether they were able to proceed with buying their own homes because it would make it more expensive."

The move is part of a bid to meet local housing market pressures, cut homelessness and exploitation of the scheme and will apply in urban and rural areas facing tough housing conditions.

With record levels of homelessness in Southend and councillors facing increasing difficulties in housing provision, the town is likely to be one of the areas included.

Mr Gatredge said while posing short-term difficulties for tenants, in the long-term it could increase housing stock in Southend.

He said: "Over the last 20 years over 3,000 council properties have been sold. With an increasing level of homelessness and more houses being sold that has an effect on increasing waiting lists because we have fewer properties.

Any impact on the right-to-buy will have a knock-on effect on this situation. But we really will have to look at the fine detail to see how much impact it will have in terms of people applying to buy."

Published Thursday, January 23, 2003

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