The right to buy, preserved right to buy and right to acquire schemes

Right to buy your council home – what is this?

The right to buy scheme gives tenants of council housing the right to buy the home they are living in at a discounted rate.

Who has the right to buy?

You have the right to buy if are a tenant living in housing owned by the council, including those homes managed by Pendleton Together.

Things to think about

• Buying your home is probably the biggest financial decision you will ever make – Think carefully.
• You may need to get a loan or mortgage to buy your house.
• You will need to make mortgage payments
• You will have to pay the costs of looking after your home, including routine repairs, major structural repairs and any improvements.

If you sell your property within five years of using your right to buy, you may have to pay back some of your discount.

How do I apply to buy?

The first step is to speak to your Housing Options Officer. They can provide you with:

• Dealing with finances can be daunting, especially if you struggle with reading or maths, your Housing Options Officer can put you in contact with specialist agencies that can support you and offer you independent advice and help – getting help and support can prevent you from getting into financial trouble in the future.
• Contact details of an independent financial advisor
• A right to buy application pack
• Advice on your options

For further information, GOV.UK have a guide on right to buy.

Preserved right to buy – what is this?

If you were a tenant of Salford City Council at the time that your council home was transferred to the ownership of ForHousing (previously City West Housing Trust) or Salix Homes, you may have the preserved right to buy.

Under the preserved right to buy scheme you may be able to buy your home at a price lower than the full market value.

Eligibility criteria and qualifying tenancy periods have to be met as part of the preserved right to buy application process.

For further details please contact your landlord ForHousing or Salix Homes

Remember, this is only a guide to the scheme and you are advised to seek independent legal advice. Your landlord will also help to explain the scheme.

Further information is available from Own Your Home.

Right to acquire your registered social landlord home – what is this?

What is the right to acquire?

The right to acquire is a scheme that gives tenants of registered social landlords (also known as Housing Associations) the legal right to buy the home they currently rent, if they qualify.

Who has the right to acquire?

• You have the right to acquire if you are a tenant of a registered social landlord, including ForHousing and Salix Homes
• You do not have the right to acquire if you are a tenant living in a home owned by the council, including living in a home owned by the council which is managed by Pendleton Together

As well as occupying a qualifying property you must also:

• Be an assured tenant and have been a public sector tenant (in other words living in a socially rented home owned by a registered social landlord), for at least three years.
• Live in a house or flat which is a self-contained property and is your only or main home.

How do I apply to buy?

If you think you qualify for the scheme, the first step is to contact your landlord to claim the Right to Acquire. They will advise you of the following:

• contact details of an independent financial advisor
• a right-to-buy application form and information pack
• advice on your housing options

More information is available from guide to the right to acquire.

This page was last updated on 27 September 2021