§ Mr. John MarshallTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many applicants have been waiting for more than two months to exercise their right to buy in each of the London boroughs.
§ Mr. TrippierMany tenants exercising the right to buy in London experience considerable delays. The Department does not collect information in the form requested, but the most recent survey of all London boroughs showed that, at the end of March, 19 had over 100 cases where an offer notice had not been served within the statutory time limit, and four had over 1,000 such cases. The Housing Bill gives tenants whose landlords delay sales power to require the rent paid during the delay to be set against the purchase price.