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Council activity buying homes

RFI-2025-1331
Monday, 15 September 2025

Request

Under the Freedom of Information Act, I would like to request the following information.
These questions relate to the council buying homes, either homes that were sold under the Right to Buy, or on the open market.
Please do not include new build homes – you should have received and hopefully replied to a previous FOI I sent about new build over the summer.
My request relates to all tenures of housing, not just social housing (for example, market sale, private rent, either directly or via a housing company).

1) In the 2024/25 financial year (1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025) how many homes formerly sold under the Right to Buy did the council company buy back? (If some/all these homes were bought by a council-owned housing company, please can you let me know and break down how many this applies to).
1) a) Please can you provide a breakdown of how these homes have subsequently been relet – eg, how many have been relet at council/social rent? How many at affordable or London affordable rent? Have any been turned into temporary accommodation? Or otherwise used (perhaps renovated or demolished as part of a regen project?)
2) In the 2024/25 financial year (1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025) in total how many 'second hand' (meaning not a new build) homes did the council buy off the open market?
2) a) Please can you provide a breakdown of how these homes have subsequently been relet – eg, how many have been relet at council/social rent? How many at affordable or London affordable rent? Have any been turned into temporary accommodation? Or otherwise used (perhaps as part of a regen project?)
3) In the 2024/25 financial year (1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025) how many 'second hand' (meaning not a new build) homes did any companies owned by the council buy off the open market in total?
3) a) Please can you provide a breakdown of how these homes have subsequently been relet – eg, how many have been relet at council/social rent? How many at affordable or London affordable rent? Have any been turned into temporary accommodation? Or otherwise used (perhaps as part of a regen project?)

Response

1. The Council purchased one dwelling (previously purchased under the Right to Buy Scheme). The Council owned company (Arkwood) did not purchase any dwellings. 
1a. The dwelling ( a flat) was purchased in order for the Council to fully own the block to dispose of as a whole on the open market.
2. One
2a. The property identified in question 2 was purchased using part funding from the Local Authority Housing Fund (Homes for Ukraine) and let at an affordable rent.
3. Nil
3a. N/A