Right to Buy homes in Tower Hamlets could be “fuelling the increase in the housing benefit bill” according to local labour London assembly member, John Biggs.
This comes after new research released today shows that over 50% of homes sold through Right to Buy in Tower Hamlets are now let by private landlords.
The research, which comes from a new report from Right to Buy to Buy to Let, highlights how local authorities are frequently forced to rent former homes back at higher market rates in order to discharge their statutory homelessness duties.
The assembly member, who is concerned that the scheme has played a central role in exacerbating the current housing crisis, said: “In Tower Hamlets the report shows that at least 50% of former council properties sold under right to buy are now rented out privately. This has helped to fuel the increase in the housing benefit bill, heaped more pressure on local authority waiting lists and led to more Londoners being forced into the under-regulated private rented sector.”
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