ABSTRACT
This chapter treats the purchasing households and the following three chapters discuss the willingness and ability to purchase. The age grouping in the private rental case shows that the flow of purchases from these groups declines with age. The chapter aims to broad account of the general trend in the size of the population and the number of households in Britain in the 1970s as well as a description of the demographic characteristics of the stock of owner-occupiers at the beginning of the period. The changes in policy towards rehabilitation that were most important for the existing or potential home-owner were the recommendation for a reduction in the minimum length of life of property qualifying for grants, the complete removal of the upper limit on the cost of works qualifying for the same and a relaxation in the standard up to which rehabilitation was to carry the dwelling.
