If you are a council tenant, or a tenant in a former council property that has been transferred to housing association ownership, you may be eligible to purchase your home from the council or housing association at a discounted rate. Our guide will help you to understand whether you qualify for the right to buy your council house. If you do qualify, and you decide to go ahead with the purchase, our team will be happy to help you through the process. See our Guide to Buying a Property for more information.
To be eligible for the Right to Buy, you must have been a secure council tenant, or a tenant in a property transferred from council to housing association ownership, for two years (or five years if you became a tenant after 18/1/05). There are exceptions, however. You can find out more about these exceptions and whether you qualify on the DirectGov website (link opens in a new window).
If you are eligible for the Right to Buy, you still need to submit an application. You can download an application form from the DirectGov website (link opens in new window).
If it is decided that you have the right to purchase your property, you will be sent details of the price of the property, the discount you are entitled to and the terms and conditions of the sale. You will also receive information about likely improvement costs and any possible structural problems. It is a good idea to commission a survey to check the condition of the property. You must make a decision within twelve weeks of receiving these details.
The actual process of buying a 'Right to Buy' property is very similar to buying a property on the open market. The landlord's solicitors (usually the Local Authority) will prepare the papers for the sale and the purchase will proceed as outlined in our Guide to Buying a Property. However, some Local Authorities only complete sales on a particular day of the week. You should be aware that you will pay rent on the property right up until the date of completion.
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