Right to Acquire
The Right to Acquire scheme gives eligible tenants of registered social landlords the right to buy their property from their landlord at a discount.
Buying a home is a long-term financial commitment, so always make sure you get independent financial and legal advice before you make the decision.
Find out if you are eligible
You may be eligible if you:
- are a secure or assured tenant
- have had a public-sector landlord for at least 3 years (public-sector landlords include housing associations, councils, armed services, NHS trusts and foundation trusts)
And you live in:
- a housing association property built or bought using public funds after 31 March 1997 onwards
- a property transferred from a local authority to a housing association after 31 March 1997
You will not be eligible to acquire your housing association home if:
- you are a council tenant
- the courts have issued a possession order for you to leave your home
- you are undergoing bankruptcy proceedings
- you live in housing specially provided for older people and, in certain cases, disabled people
See Right to Acquire: buying your housing association home on GOV.UK for more information.
Available discounts
Discounts range from £9,000 to £16,000 depending on where you live.
If you applied to the scheme on or after 18th January 2005, and decide you want to sell the property within five years of buying it, you will have to repay some, or all, of your discount - the amount you repay depends on the how long after you got the discount you want to sell.
| Time when property sold | Discount amount to be repaid |
|---|---|
| Within 1 year | 100% |
| Within 2 years | 80% |
| Within 3 years | 60% |
| Within 4 years | 40% |
| Within 5 years | 20% |
If you decide to sell your property after five years you will not have to pay the discount back.
If you decide to sell your property within ten years then you will have to offer the property to your landlord first, at market value. If your landlord doesn't want it, you are free to sell the property on the open market.
Apply to acquire your housing association home
Contact your housing association for an application form. They will make a decision about whether you qualify for the Right to Acquire for your current property, or an alternative property.
If the alternative property is in another area, you may qualify for a different discount. You don't have to accept the alternative property and your landlord doesn't have to offer you an alternative property.
If you do qualify, your landlord will send you a notice outlining:
- a description of the property and any land included in the price
- details of your discount and how it has been calculated
- the price the landlord thinks you should pay for the property and how the landlord calculated the price
- estimates of any service charges
- any structural problems the property may have
- terms and conditions of the sale
If you disagree with the price given for your home, you can ask for an independent valuation by the district valuer. However, the district valuer's decision is final, even if they value your house is higher than that of your landlord.
Right to Buy
The Right to Buy scheme is a government-run scheme. It gives qualifying social tenants in England the right to buy their home at a discount.
Check if you are eligible
If you are a secure tenant, or a council tenant since before 1997, you may be able to purchase the property you live in.
Read Right to Buy: buying your council home on GOV.UK
You will not be eligible if you are:
- a tenant who has a service tenancy in connection with their job
- a sheltered housing tenant
- a tenant whose home has been adapted or is particularly suitable for use by the disabled or elderly
Available discounts
The amount of discount will depend on the length of time you have been a tenant, the type of property you’re buying and the value of the property.
See Discounts - Right to Buy: buying your council home on GOV.UK
Where are the deeds for right to buy properties?
Housing Associations do not keep the title deeds for a property sold under the Right to Buy.
If you have bought your property with a mortgage or loan, your lender will retain the deeds.
Your title deeds are important documents. If you hold the deeds to your property yourself, you should ensure that you keep them in a secure place.
More information on Right to Buy
See Right to Buy: buying your council home on GOV.UK for an overview and information on discounts, applying, your landlord's offer, appeals, delays, selling your home as well as providing help and advice.
See thinking of buying your council flat? on GOV.UK, which provides guidance for tenants considering buying their flat where the freeholder is a council, housing association or other social landlord.
Contact us
Email: affordable.housing@westmorlandfurness.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 373 3300