What is Right to Buy?

You can apply to right to buy if:

• The property is your only or main home.
• It is self-contained.
• You are a secured tenant.
• you’ve had a public sector landlord (for example, a council, housing association or NHS trust) for three years – it does not have to be three years in a row.

How much discount can I get?

There are different discount levels for houses and flats.

If you’re buying with someone else, you count the years of whoever’s been a public sector tenant the longest.

Houses

You get a 35% discount if you’ve been a public sector tenant for between three and five years. After five years, the discount goes up 1% for every extra year you’ve been a public sector tenant up to the maximum discount amount.

Flats

You get a 50% discount if you’ve been a public sector tenant for between three and five years. After five years, the discount goes up 2% for every extra year you’ve been a public sector tenant, up to the maximum discount amount.

Maximum discount

The maximum discount you can get is whichever is lower:

• 70% of the value of your property
• the maximum discount for your region

As mentioned in an article in the Barking & Dagenham website under ‘Right to Buy frequently asked questions (FAQs)’, please ‘be wary of companies who offer Right to Buy help’, these companies often charge thousands of pounds and if their fees are added to your mortgage, you will pay interest on them.