Are you sure of your facts, DK123?
I've just checked the policy of our local council and property ownership does not, in itself, bar someone from being considered for a local authority property.
Someone who's living in a council house in, say, Swindon might inherit a property in, say, Wigan. They can't simply move to Wigan if their employment is in Swindon and there are no rules which would force them to sell the inherited property. So they'd be free to let out the property in Wigan (while continuing to live in a council property in Swindon).
As I see it, Pavel is only seeking to put himself in a similar situation through purchasing a property many miles from his home. So I can see no legal (or, indeed, moral) restriction which would prohibit him from doing so.