The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme 2016 provides for the purchase by eligible tenants, or joint tenants, of local authority homes available for sale under the scheme.
The Scheme was amended by the Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) (Amendment) Regulations 2021. These amendments came into effect on 1 February 2022.
From that date, the tenant or, in the case of applications from joint tenants, both tenants, must be in receipt of social housing support (which includes the Rental Accommodation Scheme and Housing Assistance Payment) for a minimum period of 10 years. This requirement seeks to encourage long-term tenants to stay in their homes and support development of socially sustainable communities. All applications for the scheme made on or after 1 February 2022 must meet the new criteria.
Local authorities already have scope, within the provisions of the legislation, to set their own policies in relation to tenant purchase. This includes, for example, policies regarding the exclusion of houses they consider should not be sold for proper stock or estate management reasons. That said, all such policies must be consistent with the legislative requirements.
Further changes to the scheme, including requirements in respect of eligibility of joint tenants, are currently being examined by my Department as part of the work on the broader social housing reform agenda.
