Right to Buy/Buying your Council Home

The Right to Buy scheme gives most Council tenants the right to buy their home at a discount. You must have been a tenant of the Council or other public body for a set length of time to qualify. Introductory tenants do not have the right to buy.

The amount of discount you receive depends on how long you have spent as a public sector tenant. The maximum discount available in this region is £24,000.

If you buy your Council home and then want to sell it, there are certain rules which apply. These are different depending on when you bought your home but may mean that you have to pay back some or all of the discount.

Full details of the Right to Buy scheme can be found in the Government booklet  Right to Buy your home  

Who is eligible?

If your secure tenancy started before 18 January 2005, you must have been a tenant in the public sector for a minimum of 2 years to be eligible to buy your home.  If your tenancy started on or after 18 January 2005, you must be a tenant for five years before you have the right to buy your home.

Most houses and some flats can be bought under the scheme. Certain types of property cannot be bought: these include flats in sheltered schemes; older persons bungalows; ground floor flats; properties adapted for people with disabilities and service tenancies.

There are other reasons why you may not have the right to buy:

• If you have a possession order against you
• If you are an undischarged bankrupt or have a bankruptcy petition pending
• If you have made an arrangement with creditors (and you still owe them money).

How do I apply?

If you want to apply to buy your Council home, you must first complete a Right to Buy application form (RTB1). You can get one by:

• Phoning the Right to Buy Team on 01226 772181
• Downloading the application form RTB1  (you must print it off and send us a signed paper copy)
• Collect one from any Barnsley Connects Office

Opening times:

Monday to Wednesday       8.45am - 5.00pm
Thursday                          8.45am - 4.15pm
Friday                              8.45am - 4.30pm

Confidentiality - We will treat any information about you or your application as confidential.
Please note: as soon as you have submitted your Right to Buy application your property will be withdrawn from any major repairs schemes.  The Council will only carry out essential repairs to your home.  If you have applied for a transfer, your transfer application will also be suspended.

If you later cancel your Right to Buy application, your home will not be included in major repairs schemes (for example new central heating) for 12 months after you cancel your application. Normal day to day repairs and minor repairs schemes (for example loft insulation, electrical upgrading and painting programmes) will be carried out.

All cancellations must be made in writing to:

Right to Buy Team, Strategic Housing, PO Box 603, Barnsley  S70 9FD

You should also tell your local Barnsley Connects Office if you cancel your application and make sure that any new or outstanding repairs have been accepted and processed:

To contact Barnsley Connects:

Phone: 01226 775656
Email: BarnsleyConnects@barnsley.gov.uk
Visit:   Barnsley Connects Office

Charges:

There is no administration charge for the normal Right to Buy service. But if you ask us to provide a formal mortgage reference we will charge you £60 - this cost may be passed on to you by your solicitor or mortgage company.

Things to consider:

Buying your Council home is a big step to take. You should consider carefully whether it is the right choice for you. Once you have bought your property you will have to pay all the costs of maintaining your home, including day to day repairs, major repairs and any improvements. If you buy your flat and become a leaseholder, you will also have to pay service charges each year to the Council.

Once you have bought your home you will not be able to claim Housing Benefit to help with your mortgage costs. You may be able to claim Income Support to assist with your housing costs, but this is not usually payable until 39 weeks after you first claim it.

You are advised to get independent financial advice to help you consider all the costs of purchasing your home before you decide to buy.

ADVICE ON THE RIGHT TO BUY
Is someone trying to advise you to buy your Council home? You may be told that the Right to Buy scheme is going to end. Some changes were made to the scheme by the Housing Act 2004, but the Government is clear that it has no plans to end the scheme.

The Government and local councils are concerned that tenants do not always receive good advice when they ask private companies and individuals for help to buy their Council homes.

Sometimes companies ask tenants to pay for services, such as completing forms, that the Council will do for free. They may also offer to pay you a sum of money as part of a package where the company will become the owner of your home after an agreed period of time. This is good for the company, because they can then charge you a higher rent that the Council could, but not always good for you. You may not have the same rights to stay in your home as you did as a secure tenant of the Council. If a person or company offers to help you buy your Council home, check out what's in it for them.

If you need advice on any part of the Right to Buy scheme, contact the Right to Buy Team first.

Contact:

The Right to Buy Team:

Phone:  01226 772181

Email: righttobuy@barnsley.gov.uk

Write:    Right to Buy Team
             Strategic Housing
             PO Box 603
             Barnsley
             S70 9FD

Opening times: 

Monday to Thursday:  9:00am - 5:00pm
Friday:                      9:00am - 4.30pm

Response Times & Next Steps:

We will inform you whether or not you have the Right to Buy your home using form RTB2 which you will receive within four weeks of making your application (or 8 weeks if you have also been a tenant outside of Barnsley).

If you are not eligible to buy your home, you will be told why. If you disagree with our decision you can get advice from a Citizens Advice Bureau or a solicitor. 

Once we have told you that you do have the Right to Buy your home, we will arrange for your property to be valued. You will then be sent an Offer Notice (also called a Section 125 Notice) telling you the price that the Council will sell your home to you.  We must do this within 8 weeks of you receiving your RTB2 (or 12 weeks if your home is a flat).

Related information:

Mortgages:

Barnsley Council no longer provides mortgage loans to tenants who wish to buy their homes under the Right to Buy scheme.

If you have any questions about your existing Barnsley Council mortgage, please contact our Business Support Unit who will be pleased to help.

You can contact us using one of the following methods:

Telephone: 01226 774659

Write to us at:

BMBC Finance Department
Business Support Unit
Phase 3
County Way
S70 2TJ

Thinking of buying a Council flat?

Right to Buy your home  

Last modified on 16/9/2008