HC Deb 27 May 1976 vol 912 cc618-9
10. Mr. Dunlop

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many houses the housing executive has sold to tenants in Mid-Ulster.

Mr. Concannon

At 31st March 1976 the executive had sold 97 dwellings in this area.

Mr. Dunlop

Is the Minister aware that huge anomalies exist in the valuation of these properties? I know of two houses, joined together, which share half an acre of land, and they have been valued at £3,000. Not very far away there is——

Mr. Speaker

Order. The hon. Member is seeking information, not giving it. He must ask a question.

Mr. Dunlop

Is the Minister aware that there is an anomaly in the valuations, because not far away is a house which was built 13 years later and which has half an acre of land to itself? Its value is put at £1,000 less than the other two houses. Will the Minister try to ensure that there is more equality and standardisation in the valuation of these properties, which people have bought more than 10 times over?

Mr. Concannon

The valuation of the properties is done by the district valuer. One of the difficulties has been that although a valuation is arrived at for sitting tenants, when the empty cottages are put on the open market our reserve price is greatly exceeded.

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