Dudley Council has confirmed that it is selling off its housing stock that is too costly to repair, but with a deliberate policy to prevent private landlords from acquiring these properties.
Under Dudley Council’s housing policy, any council-owned property requiring more than £10,000 in repairs is put on the market in groups through the estate agency Savills. This decision follows thorough inspections by Savills to determine whether the properties meet the Decent Home Standard for social housing.
Councillor Ian Bevan, the council’s cabinet member for housing and communities, explained, “Our ten-year housing asset management strategy, which was approved in 2019, sets out our vision for our housing stock, including the maintenance, disposal or requisition of stock. The homes are sold in groups … to commercial investors to avoid them being bought and sold by private landlords who could choose to re-let them in a poor condition.”
Balancing sales with new acquisitions
In recent times, the council has disposed of 132 homes, with an additional 86 homes, two sheltered housing schemes, and 15 void garage plots currently on the market. This approach is balanced by the council’s efforts to reinvest in new housing. Since December 2023, the council has purchased 50 new homes using ring-fenced Right to Buy receipts.
Councillor Bevan noted, “To balance the disposal programme, we are looking to buy new homes with ring-fenced Right to Buy receipts.”
Addressing concerns over property resales
Questions were raised at a council committee about why some properties were quickly resold by developers without undergoing any renovation. A council officer clarified that a small number of homes were sold to generate funds for the refurbishment of other properties. These sales are closely monitored by the council’s legal team to ensure compliance.
The officer also acknowledged that purchasing newer properties often comes at a higher price, but argued that this strategy would lead to long-term savings, as these homes would not require significant maintenance for the first three to seven years.
The broader implications of this policy may influence how other councils approach the disposal and acquisition of social housing in the future.
