Buying LA and PRPSH housing
The different schemes that enable tenants of local authorities, housing associations and other private registered providers of social housing (PRPSHs) to buy their own homes.
Tenants who are considering these options may also need the general advice to home buyers and leaseholders contained in the sections on Buying a home and Leasehold property.
This section covers the sale of individual properties to secure tenants under the right to buy scheme, and to assured and secure PRPSH tenants under the right to acquire scheme. It gives brief details about the abolished rent to mortgage scheme, and also covers grants available to tenants to enable them to buy their own property. The section does not cover the sale of local authority or PRPSH properties to new landlords. Shared ownership and low-cost home ownership, including the HomeBuy schemes, are covered in the Shared/low cost home ownership section.
Where the term PRPSH appears, it includes housing associations.
Rules for buying
Buying housing from a local authority, housing association, or other registered provider of social housing.
PRPSH right to buy or aquire
The right to buy (known as the right to acquire) for tenants of private registered providers of social housing. The preserved right to buy for former tenants of local authorities. Voluntary schemes to enable PRPSH tenants to buy
Right to buy scheme
The right to buy scheme, qualifying landlords and qualifying tenants, and how long a tenant must have lived in a property in order to exercise the right to buy.
Right to buy process
When a tenant is applying for the right to buy their home, there are a series of steps that the landlord and tenant must follow. The procedure is summarised below.
Right to buy discounts
Level of right to buy discounts across England.
Discount repayment
When occupiers might have to repay all or part of their discount if they sell a property they have bought under the right to buy.
Freehold and leasehold for council tenants
Tenants of most local authority houses will be buying the freehold. Tenants of flats and maisonettes are entitled to buy a long lease, usually of 125 years.
Preserved right to buy
Tenants that will keep the preserved right to buy if their property is transferred to a landlord whose tenants do not have the right to buy. Rights to consultation about large scale voluntary transfers.
