Housing, privatization and the 'Right to Buy'

Abstract

This paper proffers the first formal econometric analysis into the privatization of public housing under the Conservative Government's ‘Right to Buy’ (RTB) legislation. Results reveal that both actual and prospective RTB beneficiaries exhibit significantly different demographic and attitudinal characteristics from other owneroccupiers and council tenants. Given the close links between housing tenure and labour mobility, a closer analysis of these differences would be informative in any analysis of the RTB scheme, and in any future review of housing policy.