Housing Statistics for Scotland, Quarterly Update - November 2014

Sales of social sector housing to sitting tenants (Right to Buy)

Most sales of social housing to tenants are sales under Right to Buy although a small number cover other sales such as voluntary sales by local authorities to sitting tenants.

In July 2013 the Scottish Government announced that the Right to Buy was to end for all tenants. Immediately following this announcement the number of applications and the number of sales both increased (by 39% and 44% respectively) compared to the previous quarter.

Since then applications and sales have remained at higher levels than in the equivalent quarter of the previous year. The most recent figures available are for April - June 2014. During this period there were 886 applications (26% higher than in the same quarter the previous year) and 335 sales (46% higher).

Throughout the year to end June 2014 there were 1,644 sales to sitting tenants. This is 35% more than in the previous year.

The provision to end Right to Buy with a two year notice period was included in the Housing (Scotland) Bill which received Royal Assent on 1 August 2014.

Chart 13: Quarterly applications and sales, 2004 - 2014