RESIDENTS in some areas of South Oxfordshire are concerned a rule about the sale of former council houses is making it difficult or impossible to sell their homes.

South Oxfordshire District Council is now considering whether it should continue to enforce the rule, and is gathering evidence and views on whether or not the rule is serving its original purpose.

The regulation dates back to the introduction of council tenants being given the right to buy their homes in the 1980s.

The ruling was intended to prevent former council houses in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty from being used as second or holiday homes, by preventing anybody who doesn’t either live or work in the area from buying the house.

John Cotton, leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, said: "It looks like this rule might no longer serve its original purpose, and may even be having a detrimental impact on people living locally rather than benefiting them.

"But we need more evidence and information before we can be certain of that conclusion, so we’d like to hear from people who have been affected, or who live in the areas affected, to see what they think."

Councillors in South Oxfordshire have received a number of complaints from residents suggesting potential buyers are put off buying houses covered by the rule, and some have told of being unable to get mortgages from some lenders because of legal covenants enforcing the rule on the property they want to buy.

About 1,000 houses within the Chilterns and North Wessex Downs Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty are affected by the rule, including homes in Goring and Woodcote.

This makes up less than two per cent of homes in the district.

Residents can provide their comments to the council by visiting southoxon.gov.uk/S157comments and the deadline is midnight on June 25.