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Right to Buy

FAQs

How do I apply to buy?
You can get a Right to Buy application form from the Home Ownership and Leasehold Services Unit, or any of the Council's Local Service Centres or Community Housing Offices, as well as from the Communities and Local Government (CLG) department. When you have completed your form you should send it to Home Ownership and Leasehold Services Unit at Bridge House, 320 High Street, Stratford, London E15 1EP.
Can I get help to fill it in and do I have to pay for advice on the Right to Buy?
You can get help from any of the offices mentioned above. The Council has a duty to provide interested tenants with information and to process their applications free of charge.
Can my son/daughter buy it with me?
Family members who are not joint tenants may join in on the purchase as long as they occupy the property as their only or principal home and have lived there for a minimum of 12 months prior to applying.
If I am a joint tenant, but one of us does not wish to buy, can one of us buy the property alone?
If your tenancy is a joint tenancy both people must normally apply to buy. However, if one tenant wishes to buy and the other does not, the person deciding not to buy must consent to the sale by completing the appropriate part of the application form. The tenant who is not buying should consider seeking legal advice as they are ending their tenancy and will lose rights to the property.
What can I do if, having received my offer price, I disagree with the Council's valuation of my home?
You can apply to the District Valuer to have the valuation re-assessed.
What are the rules about selling my home after I have bought it?
You can re-sell whenever you wish, but you may have to re-pay a proportion of the discount you received if you sell within five years of your original Right to Buy purchase.
What are the costs of becoming an owner?
Apart from having to pay the purchase price, which most buyers raise by way of a mortgage or loan, you will have to pay your solicitors fees, mortgage valuation fees and any survey fees that are required. In addition to your normal household expenses you will need to budget for any expenses that were formally included within your rent payments. If your property is a house and you become a freeholder you will be responsible for your own repairs. If your property is a flat and you become a leaseholder you will generally be responsible for all repairs within your flat and for paying towards the costs the Council incurs in maintaining the exterior and communal parts as well as the services that are provided. These will be listed in the price offer notice you will receive.
Can I sub-let my home after purchase?
Yes, but if you buy a flat you must ensure that you notify the Council.
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