| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act to give security of tenure, and the right to buy their homes, to tenants of local authorities and other bodies; to make other provision with respect to those and other tenants; to amend the law about housing finance in the public sector; to make other provision with respect to housing; to restrict the discretion of the court in making orders for possession of land; and for connected purposes. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 1980 c. 51 |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 8 August 1980 |
| Commencement | 3 October 1980 |
Status: Current legislation | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Text of the Housing Act 1980 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk. | |
The Housing Act 1980 (c. 51) was an act of Parliament passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom that gave five million council house tenants in England and Wales the Right to Buy their house from their local authority. The Act came into force on 3 October 1980 and is seen as a defining policy of Thatcherism. In Scotland the Right to Buy was provided by the Tenants' Rights, Etc. (Scotland) Act 1980 and for Northern Ireland it was left to the Housing Executive.