Councillor calls for purchase option for voluntary scheme tenants

TENANTS of voluntary housing schemes should be given an option to buy their homes, Waterford Labour Councillor Seamus Ryan said last night.

The former mayor renewed his calls for tenants of voluntary housing schemes to be given the option to purchase. Whilst recognising the positive contribution the voluntary housing sector has made to the provision of social housing in Waterford, Cllr Ryan believes people covered under such schemes should be given the same rights as those in local authority estates.

Figures made available to Cllr Ryan recently show there are over 240 voluntary housing scheme tenants in Waterford city, in areas such as Birchwood and Killure Manor.

“I believe that we are in danger of creating a two-tier social housing sector, where local authority tenants have the option to purchase and those in the voluntary sector, despite coming off the same housing list, are not afforded the same opportunity.

“It is also essential that the ability of the voluntary housing sector to continue to raise finance is protected. Therefore I also believe that finance raised from the sale of these houses should be ring-fenced and reinvested into the voluntary housing sector to allow them the opportunity to expand their operation.”

“The campaign for voluntary housing scheme tenants to be given the option to purchase their homes began in Waterford a number of years ago and has gained momentum with tenants in other parts of the country now looking for the same rights as tenants of local authorities,” he added.