Written evidence to be reported to the House
Housing and Regeneration Bill
5:30 pm
Michael Gelling: I do not think that that is about mobility; I think that it is about the lack of properties to move to. There are about 1.2 million people on waiting lists in this country waiting for houses in our sector. I live in a small unitary authority, and I work as an advocate on a day-to-day basis to assist people with housing issues. I currently represent a lady who has six children and wants a bigger property, but there is not one in the borough that she can move to. She cannot stay in that community, and her children cannot stay in that school. They have to move somewhere else because—it is not a criticism; well, maybe it is—the right to buy has diminished the amount of stock currently available for local authorities and housing associations to offer people in need. There is a real issue about people moving and mobility in the rented sector. That is not their fault; it has been managed by things happening at your level. You made the law on the right to buy, and we have lost 6 million properties because of it.