Letter: Affordable housing

Around 1,800 houses repossessed by various lenders are about to be marketed in Scotland.

Most are reasonable quality and will sell for substantially less than their home report valuation, if the experience of the repossessed house sales over the last two years is anything to go by.

Social landlords could acquire these houses for less than it costs them to build new. Councils and housing associations could then enter a deferred purchase agreement with people on housing waiting lists to pay a regular time-limited occupancy payment until mortgage funding is available. In the current financial crisis, it is surely more important to provide a reasonable roof over as many people's heads as possible than spend the limited funds available on fewer gold-plated new-builds.

The houses are available for almost immediate occupation unlike the months it takes to complete a new-build project.

Outwith the social housing sector very few privately owned houses, even in the leafy suburbs, meet social housing standards.

Acquisition of these houses amounts to almost a third of the total annual target the Scottish Government has for new-build social housing.

Graeme McCormick

Conveyancing Direct

Morrison Street

Glasgow