Eligibility
You may have the Right to Buy if -
- you have been a secure tenant for at least 3 years. It does not need to be 3 consecutive years. For example, you may have a break in council tenancy
- you do not live in accommodation suited to older or disabled people
- you do not have legal problems with debt, such as a Debit Relief Order (DRO) or have declared yourself bankrupt
- you do not have an outstanding possession order on your home for rent arrears or anti-social behaviour
If you meet the above eligibility criteria, then you may qualify to buy your home -
- by yourself. If you are a joint tenant, or more, you will need consent from the other members if they do not wish to be part of the Right to Buy. There is a section they must sign on the application form
- with up to 3 other family members of the household who have lived in the property with you for over the last 12 months
- with a spouse
- civil partner
- other joint tenants
For all Right to Buy applicants, checks on the electoral register for occupancy are done so make sure that all prospective Right to Buy applicants are registered. This will affect your application.
Reasons you cannot buy your home
There are certain criteria which does not allow you the Right to Buy. You cannot buy your home if -
- you live in sheltered housing
- it is not your principle home. For example, you are not living in the property. This also applies to any other applicant
- your home has been specifically and significantly adapted for disabled and elderly persons
- you have a possession order made against you by a court for non-payment of rent
- or for anti-social behaviour activity. You need to check with your housing officer as such an order may remain against you until you appeal
- you have declared yourself bankrupt
- have a current bankruptcy petition pending against you
- have arranged with creditors. Creditors are persons that you still owe money to
Tenants who are not eligible for the Right to Buy scheme
You are not eligible to buy your home if -
- you are an introductory or demoted tenant
- a court makes a possession order which says that you must leave your home
- we have served a demolition notice as we do not have to complete a Right to Buy purchase while the notice is in force
- the property is within a sheltered housing scheme for older people
- a court has made an order suspending your Right to Buy because of anti-social behaviour
- you are an undischarged bankrupt
- have a bankruptcy petition pending against you
- have made arrangements with creditors and you still owe money to them
Most of the homes we let are available to buy, but there are certain homes which cannot be bought. They are such as those within sheltered housing schemes for the elderly. Other homes which we do not normally sell include bungalows and ground floor flats. These are particularly suitable for older people which were allocated to someone aged 60 or over and were first let before 1 January 1990.
If you are told that your home is not available to buy because it is particularly suitable for an elderly person, you can appeal against this decision by contacting the Residential Property Tribunal. There is no right of appeal if your home is not available to buy for any other reason.