Large‐scale transfers of council housing to new landlords: Is British social housing becoming more ‘European'?

Abstract

Social housing in Britain has traditionally been provided in a very different way to most other European countries, with municipal authorities having a dominant role. Recently, a number of local authorities have transferred the whole of their housing stocks to new landlords, ceasing to be housing providers. This process of ‘Voluntary Transfer’ is described and analysed, with particular attention paid to the interests of the government, tenants and taxpayers. Voluntary Transfer is an important aspect of the current policy approach in Britain which aims to reduce the role of local authorities as managers and providers of social housing, and to increase the relative importance of housing associations and other organisations. An assessment is made as to whether Voluntary Transfer should be seen as part of a general move towards convergence with the way in which social housing is provided elsewhere in Europe. On balance, it is found that differences between the British and continental approaches continue to be more important than similarities, reflecting institutional, political and historical factors. Nevertheless, social housing organisation in all European countries faces similar pressures in resolving conflicts between economic and social aims.