Number Of Unsold Social Homes 'peaks' At 10,000

摘要

The number of unsold housing association homes has hit a peak of more than 10,000, a senior government official has claimed.rnPeter Marsh, chief executive of regulator the Tenant Services Authority (TSA), said: "Most people reported a stronger January than pundits predicted. We expect the number [of unsold homes] will fall."rnThe news comes as the government has paid for nearly 4,000 shared ownership homes to be converted into rented property to reduce the backlog of unsold social houses.rnMany of the houses, which were earmarked for shared ownership,rnwill now be rented at social housing or intermediate rates after their owners received extra subsidy from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).rnFigures published this week by the TSA show that 10,060 housing association homes, worth about ￡707m, are still unsold, 4,560 for more than six months, up by 405 from November. The figure includes the homes converted from sale to rent.rnThe TSA said the conversion of unsold homes to rent had helped stop the backlog growing further.