Why did the SNP abolish Right to Buy?

The Housing (Scotland) Act 2014 abolished the right to buy – keeping up to 15,500 homes in the social sector over the next decade. The SNP abolished the right to buy in order to protect and enhance social housing and to protect the investment made in social housing over many generations. While the right to buy has extended the benefits of home ownership to many families, we believe it is out-dated. When it was introduced there were no other routes into low-cost home ownership but that is not the case now.

By removing right to buy, social landlords will have greater confidence to build new homes.Many right to buy properties end up in the private rented sector and as private sector housing benefit claims are higher than claims by social sector tenants, this pushes up spending on the benefit.