The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has thanked boroughs for using his flagship Right to Buy-back scheme to bring more than 1,500 homes back into public ownership.

Since launching in July 2021, fourteen boroughs have been allocated £152m to purchase 1,577 market homes that have been (or will be) converted into affordable housing, either council homes let at social rent or homes to be let as accommodation for homeless households. This includes a total of 908 homes to be let at social rent.

The Mayor has also announced that eight London boroughs have been successful in securing future funding to help with “expertise and resources”.

These boroughs will receive grants from the Mayor to “help hire new staff, boost in-house skills and capacity of staff purchasing these homes and to cover technical services that helps to shift these homes from the market into council ownership.”

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “For more than 40 years, London’s precious council homes have been disappearing into the private sector, often never to be replaced. As Mayor I have maintained a relentless focus on stemming the tide and replenishing London’s social housing stock.

“I am proud that, thanks to my interventions, we have brought council homebuilding back up to levels not seen since the 1970s and I’m hugely encouraged by the enthusiasm I see from boroughs across London for building new council homes and using my Right to Buy-back scheme to return homes to public ownership.

“These homes were built for the public good and it has been painful to watch them disappear into private portfolios. Returning these homes to public ownership is a key part of my plan to build a better London for everyone – a city that is greener, fairer and more prosperous for all.”

Damien Egan, Mayor of Lewisham, said: “The Right to Buy-back scheme is already making a big difference in Lewisham, with families moving into their new homes.

“Thanks to funding from the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, we have been able to bring these homes back into public ownership, helping to house families on our housing waiting list, many of whom have had years waiting in hostels and B&Bs.”