LGA briefing: Social Housing Bill, House of Lords Committee Stage, 15 June 2026

This clause increases the minimum qualifying period for exercising the Right to Buy for secure tenants from three years to ten years of tenancy. 

LGA view: The Government’s reform to increase the qualifying period from three years to 10 years is a positive change that will help support local authorities to rebuild their stock of homes, whilst still giving tenants the opportunity to purchase their home through the scheme.  

This clause establishes a restriction on eligibility for repeat exercises of the Right to Buy, preventing tenants who have previously benefitted from the Right to Buy from using the scheme, with exceptions for victims of domestic abuse and in cases of irretrievable relationship breakdown. 

LGA view: We agree that someone should be prevented from exercising the Right to Buy if they have already benefitted from the scheme or if they already own another property. The main purpose of the scheme as originally envisaged was to allow local authority tenants to buy their homes at a discount, thus making home ownership more accessible. 

This clause extends the time periods within which landlords must serve notices either admitting or denying a tenant’s eligibility for the Right to Buy, and setting out the purchase price and other required information. The revised statutory periods are intended to provide additional flexibility where applications raise complexity, for example in relation to valuation issues or safeguarding concerns. 

LGA view: We support the extension of time periods within which landlords must respond to and action Right to Buy requests. 

This clause enables a landlord to suspend a Right to Buy application where there is reason to suspect that the claim may be fraudulently made. During the period of suspension, the procedural requirements of the Act, including statutory time limits, do not apply.  

LGA view: We support the ability for landlords to suspend an application pending an investigation into fraudulent claims. 

This clause removes the 10‑year time limit on the right of first refusal for former social landlords to repurchase a property previously sold under the Right to Buy when it is resold, so that it applies indefinitely. 

LGA view: We support strengthening councils’ ability to buy back former social homes and therefore support the extension of the right of first refusal in perpetuity. 

This clause amends and introduces new legislation that exempts the following dwellings to which the Right to Buy does not apply: areas designated as rural (including National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty), newly built social housing for 35 years, and market rent homes let under secure tenancies. 

LGA view: We welcome the decision to introduce a 35-year Right to Buy exemption for new-build properties but urge the Government to support our amendment which would allow those properties to be exempt in perpetuity. It will be important that flexibility is central to the processes governing newly built social housing so local circumstances can be fully reflected. We also support the exception for dwellings in rural areas, as their replacement and delivery of new social housing can be challenging.  

This clause establishes a requirement for private registered providers to notify the relevant local authority and other private providers in their area before the disposal takes place, thereby giving these organisations the opportunity to consider whether they have any interest in purchasing the property. 

LGA view: The LGA supports the Government’s proposals to establish a requirement for private registered providers to notify the relevant local authority and other private providers in their area before disposing of social housing dwellings. This will help to retain within the social sector, enable councils to strategically acquire stock, and give councils early notice of disposals affecting waiting lists or homelessness pressures. To maximise the benefits of this proposal, sales should be negotiated on an existing social housing valuation price. The LGA and its members want to work with Government to ensure the implementation of this clause is practical, realistic and not burdensome for all parties involved. 

These clauses make provisions to repeal uncommenced legislation.  

LGA view: We support the repeal of these various pieces of uncommenced legislation, in particular Clause 16 which would have set the levels of rent that local housing authorities must charge high income social tenants. The LGA opposes nationally mandated eligibility thresholds as local authorities are best placed to determine allocations based on local need and housing market conditions. 

The Bill contains specific tenancy reform measures intended to strengthen housing security for victims of domestic abuse within the social housing sector. In particular, it introduces powers enabling landlords to seek possession against perpetrators without requiring the victim to leave the property, addressing a longstanding gap whereby victims were often forced to choose between remaining in an unsafe environment or losing their home. The provisions also establish mechanisms for transferring joint tenancies into the sole name of the victim where appropriate, alongside safeguards preventing perpetrators from ending a tenancy in retaliation during proceedings. Where remaining in the property is not considered safe or suitable, the Bill provides powers for courts to support access to alternative social housing accommodation without loss of tenancy security.  

LGA view: Collectively, these measures are intended to improve victim safety, housing stability and continuity of support for those experiencing domestic abuse. 

These provisions remove the requirement for the Secretary of State to consent to the disposal of dwellings that have previously been owned as local authority housing. 

LGA view: The LGA supports the provisions removing the requirement for property owners to have Secretary of State consent to dispose of dwellings that were formerly local authority housing, or still are, where consent currently applies, including homes where the Right to Buy has been exercised, homes transferred to housing associations, and homes previously transferred by New Town Development Corporations. These provisions have never been used. They therefore add bureaucracy for the current property owners whilst not providing benefits to councils. 

The LGA supports provisions removing requirements for Secretary of State consent for the redevelopment of councils’ housing assets. Having a clear, rule-based process will help to streamline social housing delivery.