What is the Right to Buy?

If you dream about owning your own home you now can under the Right to Buy scheme.  The scheme gives you the legal right to buy your council home at a price lower than the full market value.  The length of time you have spent as a tenant entitles you to a discount on the market value of your home.  For more information about the discount please visit the discount rules page.

Please be wary of any door-to-door salesmen from service companies.  They may pretend to work with or for us or say that the council approves their company or product, we do not.  For more information please see our page on service companies.  The Home Ownership Team will give help and advice free of charge.

Please use the links on the right to view the various sections and access helpful booklets and advice.

Who has the Right to Buy?

To have the Right to Buy you need to be a secure tenant your present landlord or with another Right to Buy landlord.  The length of tenancy you need will either be two or five years, based on when your secure tenancy began.  If your:

• secure tenancy began before the 18 January 2005 you will need to have spent at least two years as a public sector tenant or a tenant of a social registered landlord; or
• if your secure tenancy began after 18 January 2005 you will need to have spent five years as a public sector tenat or a tenant of a social landlord.

You will only be able to buy your home under the Right to Buy if your house or flat is a separate home and is your only home.  Family members who have lived with you for the past 12 months or someone who is a joint tenant with you may be able to share in the Right to Buy.

Any land let together with your home, for example garages and gardens; will usually be treated as part of you home.  Check this with the Home Ownership Team before you buy.

What homes are available to buy? 

Most council homes are available to buy if you meet the criteria.  There are certain homes we need to keep and rent to specific groups of people.