Right To Buy (RTB)

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Right To Buy (RTB)

How do I apply?

There are two ways to obtain an application form to purchase your property:

1) You can download, the application form and Insolvency Declaration form and Disclosure of Information form from this webpage on the right.

2) Contact our Right to Buy Team who can post an application pack for you.

When filling in the application form, please refer to the Right to Buy Application guidance notes and further information required to support your application as any missed information could delay your application. When you have filled in the form, contact us on 01302 862809 to arrange an appointment so that an advisor can go through the form with you and answer any questions you may have.

Before submitting your application, please take time to read the information documents below.

What is Right to Buy?

Right to buy is a Government scheme that allows secure council tenants to purchase their home at a discounted price.

Below you can find out more about:

Right to Buy Eligibility

Things to think about before applying

How to apply

How much discount you might receive

What your home might be worth

Where to go for further help and information about the Right To Buy process

Am I Eligible?

To be able to quality for the right to buy:

You must be a secure tenant on the date of the application for at least 3 years.
Your house or flat must be your only main home.
You are a tenant /joint tenant or a non-tenant who is a member for your family and has occupied the property as their only main home for the 12 months.
You do not have a court possession order, you are not an undischarged bankrupt or you do not have a bankruptcy petition pending against you.

If you are not sure you can use the easy eligibility quiz linked in our 'Related Pages' section to find out if you could be eligible to buy your home at a discount.

Changes to eligibility

Changes to legislation in 2015 have reduced the eligibility criteria required by a tenant to qualify for Right to Buy. These changes mean that you need to have been a tenant for 3 years instead of 5 years before you can apply.

Before applying

Buying a home is the biggest single investment most people will ever make. It's an exciting time, but there is a lot to think about. So you'll need to take time to look at the costs.

Its a good idea to do this as early as possible, before you get too far into the Right to Buy process. You are responsible for how you finance buying your home.

Think about the future, when your circumstances may change. Bear in mind that house prices and interest rates could go down as well as up.

Look at all the costs, not just the mortgage repayments. You'll have additional costs and responsibilities you may not have as a tenant, such as repairs and maintenance. Don't forget general living costs when working out what you can afford (food, bills etc.)

If you buy a flat, you'll probably be a leaseholder and will have to contribute to the maintenance of the building and surrounding area.

Don't forget to think about the on-off costs too - such as stamp duty, a survey and solicitors fees.

You might find the Department for Communities and Local Government checklist useful:

Comparing costs as a homeowner and a tenant.

Other things to consider

You won't be eligible for housing benefit if you become a homeowner.

You may want income protection or life insurance in case anything happens to you while paying back your loan or mortgage (some lenders require this).

Your home could be at risk if you fail to keep up with your mortgage or loan payments.

Even if you don't need mortgage yourself, check whether lenders are willing to give loans or mortgage on the type of house or flat you are buying. If you want to sell in the future, people interested in buying your property might need a mortgage.

Always check costs upfront before signing anything.

Remember the value of your home can go down as well as up.

Interest rates can also go up as well as down.

Additional advice and information is available on the Department for Communities and Local Government website.

How do I apply?

Please contact the Right to Buy Team on 01302 862809 to book an appointment, so that your application can be checked before being submitted.

There are two ways to apply to purchase your property:

1) You can download, complete and return the application form and Insolvency Declaration form and Disclosure of Information form.

2) Contact our Right to Buy Team who can post an application pack for you to complete and return.

Before submitting your application, please take time to read the information documents below.

How much discount am I entitled to?

Discount range from 35% to 70% for houses and 50% to 70% for flats and Maisonettes. The exact amount will depend on the number of years of you have been a tenant for and the valuation of your property. This may include time spent in different homes and / or different landlords.

If you lived with your parents after the age of sixteen and later became a tenant of the same home, you may be able to include this time too.

If you are buying jointly with someone who has longer qualifying period than yours, you will be entitled to their higher rate of discount but you cannot 'add together' separate qualifying periods.

The discount you receive may be reduced if the amount of money we have spent on your home in the last 10 years is more than the purchase price of your home. This is called the cost floor. We cannot sell your home for less than the cost floor amount.

If you have previously bought a property under Right to Buy than the discount you received for that property will be taken off the discount on your current Right to Buy purchase.

Use our Discount Calculator to find out what your property may be worth and how much discount you might be entitled to.