Councils call for extension on time limit for all Right to Buy receipts

District councils have urged the Government to extend the time limit for spending Right to Buy receipts for both existing and future receipts.

Under the current system, local authorities have five years to spend their existing Right to Buy receipts. However, they still only have three years in which to spend future receipts.

The District Councils’ Network (DCN) argued in a submission to the Government on the use of receipts from Right to Buy sales that having two different time limits for receipts that are used for the same purpose – house building – is ‘illogical’.

DCN also said that for particularly complex and high value regeneration schemes, there should be a limit of seven years to avoid deterring major housing delivery projects.

They added the 30% cap on Right to Buy contributions should be increased to 100% to allow councils to play ‘a full part in delivering the Government’s ambitions for social housing.’