New council house tenants lose right to buy

NEW tenants moving into council houses or housing association homes from next March will no longer have the right to buy the property.

The Scottish Government announced the Housing (Scotland) Act, which dramatically curtails a policy dating back to the 1980s, had received Royal Assent and would come into effect on March 1.

Housing Minister Alex Neil said: "This will give council and housing associations the confidence to invest in new housing without fearing they will have to sell those houses at a discounted price."

Graeme Brown, director of housing charity Shelter Scotland, said the move "helps secure Scotland's housing stock for the future".