Pledge over right to buy

The Office of Fair Trading this week acted against an independent mortgage consultant to stop him making misleading claims about the government's right to buy scheme.

Right to buy helps council tenants to buy their homes at discount rates.

Mike Cooke, from Staffordshire, was publishing advertisements that gave the impression that the government intended to end the scheme and that council tenants who wished to buy their homes needed to act urgently.

The advertisements stated: "Buy your council house while you still can" and "The government may soon take away your right to buy your council house but you still have time if you move quickly".

Penny Boys, OFT executive director, says: "The government has no plans to end the right to buy scheme or discounts available to council tenants. Advertisements making claims to the contrary are misleading and people finding similar advertisements should complain to their local trading standards services, the ASA or the OFT for action to be taken."