Tories' 'house-swap' programme for social tenants
Monday, 9 November 2009 12:00 AM
By Emmeline Saunders
The Conservatives have unveiled plans to give social housing tenants the chance to move to other parts of the country.
The party's 'affordable house-swap programme' will use a property database to match tenants with suitable homes.
Shadow housing minister Grant Shapps said: "If you are a social tenant, you do not have the same opportunities as other renters or homeowners.
"The system means that your aspirations are squeezed, your expectations lowered and your horizons are limited."
Social tenants who need to relocate for family or employment reasons are often prevented from doing so, the Conservatives say.
Under the programme, every family in social housing will be able to take part to exchange their home for another.
The proposals follow the party's 'right to move' policy outlined in a green paper earlier this year.
The Conservatives also plan to find ways of improving mobility for social housing tenants through a body representing housing associations, council and tenants' organisations.
In September this year, ministers gave the green light to 2,000 new council homes after concerns were raised about an increasing shortage.
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