Some years ago HCC were selling some 'run down' properties on NHE. I don't know what was wrong with them but quite a few became available all down the same avenue. The council invited bids, I put one in, my intention was to buy one for one of my kids. We are talking of less than £10k each in those days, which was par for the course for the housing market then to be successful. My bid went in, all funded, and I wasn't successful. I never actually spoke face to face with anyone, it was all done and decided on, matter of factually by a short letter.
In fact all of the available houses were sold for less each than I had bid, to a property developer, of which one of John Prestcott's lads had an, if not sole interest in. The reason given was the property developer had the funds to refurbish them all to a particular standard, what ever?
The sale never made any headlines any where and went through almost under the radar.
My in laws bought their council house on NHE with help of the tenants discount scheme. When they were admitted to a care home in later life, they had to sell the house to pay for their care, everyone else in the place avoided any costs because they were still renting. Swings and roundabouts.