The resale of right to buy dwellings: a case study of migration and socialchange in rural England

Drawing on data relating to some 500 households, taken from local governmen t records and questionnaire surveys, this paper examines the processes of m igration and social change associated with the resale of former local autho rity dwellings in a rural part of the East Midlands, England, UK. Legislati ve change principally stemming From the Housing Act (1980) has given tenant s a 'right to buy' their rented dwelling from the local authority landlord. By focussing on the longer term impact of this process the findings of thi s study reveal a radical discontinuity with the past, as new households wit h contrasting characteristics to previous occupants move in when these dwel lings are resold on the open market. The study shows that the relative affo rdability of the dwellings in a highly competitive rural housing market is creating an opportunity for comparatively young, dual-career and largely ur ban families to move to the countryside. Their movement into former local a uthority dwellings has important implications for the future provision of l ocal needs housing in rural areas. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All right s reserved.