Extending Right to Buy 'misguided and dangerous'

Further details of the forthcoming housing bill were revealed as ministers announced intentions to provide a common right to buy for all tenants covered by the planned single social tenancy.

Communities minister Wendy Alexander said an extension of the Right to Buy to 43,000 housing association tenants was in line with popular demand. Only landlords with charitable status and all units of special needs housing will be exempt from the controversial move.

Officials claimed sales in the sector would be limited to just 850 a year, compared with 6,000 homes built or improved annually by Scottish Homes funding.

But the housing sector was furious at the news. In some areas local authorities claim to have lost up to 60 per cent of their stock through the Right to Buy which has never been replaced.

Scottish Federation of Housing Associations director David Orr described the decision as "misguided, unnecessary and dangerous".

He said: "The minister does not need to do this. We simply don't need to extend the Right to Buy to persuade tenants that community ownership is the best way. We have no choice but to oppose it vigorously."

The announcement came as homelessness in the country reached the highest levels since records began.

Shelter Scotland said that since the Labour government came to power it had risen by 11 per cent, and warned that extending the right to buy would increase homelessness, particularly in rural areas.

Scottish Council for Single Homeless director Robert Aldridge added: "For the executive to seek to extend the Right to Buy at this time is short-sighted, and likely to lead to increased homelessness."

Chartered Institute of Housing in Scotland director Alan Ferguson blamed the record figures on the lack of affordable housing, already exacerbated by the Right to Buy. "Too many homes are sold off with substantial discounts and we are not building enough rented homes to replace them."