Who can buy their home
The Right to Buy is aimed at secure tenants of Local Authorities and Registered Social Landlords (RSLs). You could receive a discount on the cost of buying your home of up to a maximum of £34,000 based on the amount of time that you have been a tenant.
Any land let together with your home (for example, gardens and garages) will usually be treated as part of your home.
Who has the right to buy
Secure tenants may be able to purchase their existing dwelling if they have already been, for a minimum of 2 complete years, secure tenants of a Local Authority. For tenancies that commence on or after 18 January 2005 this has been increased to a minimum of 5 complete years.
Periods spent as a tenant of a Development Corporation, Commission for New Towns or Housing Associations may also in certain circumstances be counted. Periods of time spent with other public bodies may also be counted. For a list of these please see the back page of the RTB1 application form.
You will only be able to purchase under the scheme if your house or flat is your only home and is self-contained.
You cannot buy your home if a court makes a possession order, which says that you must leave your home. Neither can you buy your home if you are an undischarged bankrupt, have a bankruptcy petition pending against you, or have made an arrangement with creditors (people you owe money to) and you still owe them money.
Any tenant, or family member, with a court order for anti-social behaviour against them will not be eligible for the Right to Buy.
To find out how to apply, please click below:
How you may share the right to buy
You may share the Right to Buy with someone who is a joint tenant with you or you may be able to exercise the Right to Buy jointly with members of your family who have lived with you for the past 12 months prior to an application being submitted.
Each member of the tenant's family (excluding joint tenants) wishing to share the Right to Buy must submit a statutory declaration, drawn up by a solicitor, stating their age, their relationship to the tenant and details of their length of residence with the tenants. They may also be required to provide additional proof of residency.
Common law spouses are regarded as a member of the tenant's family and may be eligible but would be required to submit a statutory declaration on the lines mentioned above. If you require further clarification please contact the Right to Buy Officer.