This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Midlands VRTB and the right to buy'.


Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local 
Government
Fry Building 
2 Marsham Street 
London 
SW1P 4DF
T 030 3444 0000
www.gov.uk/mhclg
 
Mr Keith Lisle
Via email
Date: 23 June 2020
 
Dear Mr Lisle
 
Freedom of Information Act 2000 -  7867172
 
Thank you for your request for information, which we received on 1 June 2020 and 
processed under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
 
You requested:
1. Up to 02/06/2020, how many applications have been registered on the 
Homes England's IT system? 
2. Up to 02/06/2020, how many applications have had their application 
cancelled? 
4. Up to 02/06/2020 how many property sales have completed and now 
owned by the tenant. 
5. How much of the allocated £200,000,000 has now been spent? 
6. Will there be second offer for the unsuccessful tenants from the first 
Midlands VRTB pilot ballot? 
7. Is the new shared ownership Right to Buy (SORTB) announced by Robert 
Jenrick and in the March 2020 budget going to replace the right to buy 
scheme?". 
8. Due to the covid 19 lockdown and now the UK economy needs a boost is 
there plans for a uk national right to buy rollout?

 
We can confirm that the information requested is held by the Ministry of Housing, 
Communities and Local Government and we are able to provide you with all this 
information below.
Up to 02/06/2020, how many applications have been registered on the Homes 
England's IT system? 

As of 1 June 2020, a total of 3,878 applications had been entered into the system. 
Up to 02/06/2020, how many applications have had their application cancelled? 
As of 1 June 2020, of the tenants who have made an application to their housing 
association, 1,995 have either cancelled their application, or else their application 
had been terminated by their housing association. 

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OF DRAFT ANSWERS
Reasons for termination may include a tenant not meeting the eligibility criteria for 
the pilot, or a tenant withdrawing their application for any reason, for example if they 
cannot afford the purchase.
Up to 02/06/2020 how many property sales have completed and now owned by 
the tenant. 

As of 1 June 2020, there have been 1,711 sales under the pilot. 
How much of the allocated £200,000,000 has now been spent? 
As of 1 June 2020, £110.9m has been spent on funding Voluntary Right to Buy 
discounts under the Midlands pilot. 
This figure captures the discount amount from the sales that is paid to housing 
associations,  and the compensation paid to housing associations for the allowable 
costs of administering the scheme.
Will there be second offer for the unsuccessful tenants from the first Midlands 
VRTB pilot ballot? 

The Government is closely monitoring the progress of the Midlands pilot, and the 
spending of the budget. There are no plans to run a second ballot – if this position 
changes, the Government will make an announcement. 
Is the new shared ownership Right to Buy (SORTB) announced by Robert 
Jenrick and in the March 2020 budget going to replace the right to buy 
scheme?

No, the Government remains committed to the Right to Buy, which has been in place 
for council tenants since the scheme launched in 1980. The Right to Shared 
Ownership, which was announced in October 2019, is a separate scheme.
Additionally, the 2019 manifesto committed to evaluating new pilot areas for the 
Voluntary Right to Buy. We will announce more details on this in due course.
Due to the Covid 19 lockdown and now the UK economy needs a boost is there 
plans for a UK national right to buy rollout?

As set out in the 2019 manifesto, the Government will evaluate new pilot areas for 
the Voluntary Right to Buy. We will announce more details on this in due course.
Complaints procedure
 
If you are unhappy with this response, we will review it and report back to you. (This 
is called an internal review.) If you want us to do this, let us know by return email 
within two months of receiving this response. You can also ask by letter addressed 
to:
 
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Knowledge and Information Access Team

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OF DRAFT ANSWERS
4th Floor SE, Fry Building
2 Marsham Street
London, SW1P 4DF
 
If you are unhappy with the outcome of this internal review, you can ask the 
independent Information Commissioner to investigate. The Information 
Commissioner can be contacted at email address xxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx or use their 
online form at ico.org.uk/concerns or call them on 0303 123 1113.
 
Yours sincerely
 
MHCLG FOI Team