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Local Authority Housing: Right To Buy Discount Repayments

Volume 475: debated on Thursday 5 June 1986

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asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will give, in respect of a recent convenient period, the following information about "right to buy" owners of dwellinghouses who became liable under Section 155 of the Housing Act 1985 to repay discount, distinguishing between the owners of houses and of flats:

  • (a) how many owners became liable to repay discounts;
  • (b) what was the average price which these owners had paid for their dwellinghouses, expressed both in money terms and as a percentage of "value" as defined in Section 127 of the Housing Act 1985; and
  • (c) what was the average discount which these owners become liable to repay, expressed both in money terms and as a percentage of discount originally allowed.
  • Statistics on discount repayment are not collected in the detail requested by the noble Lord. The following is information currently available.We estimate that in 1985 a total of £26 million was repaid to local authorities in England by owners who had become liable to repay discount under Section 155 of the Housing Act 1985 (relating to right to buy sales) or under Section 35 of that Act (relating to voluntary disposals at a discount). The number of dwellings in respect of which discount was repaid is not known: this information will be collected as from next quarter.Average prices and discounts for all dwellings sold by local authorities in England in each of the last five years are as follows:

    AVERAGE PRICE
    £as % of market valueAverage discount £
    19819,800596,900
    19829,800577,200
    198310,400597,300
    198411,800569,100
    198512,5005410,600