Communities and Local Government
A selection of images representing communities.
Direct contact 020 7944 4400- contactus@communities.gov.uk
- Housing
- Buying, selling, owning a home
- Ownership schemes
- Right to Buy
- Landlord's responsibilities
Housing
Landlord's responsibilities
It is the responsibility of public sector landlords to process Right to Buy applications, including providing the relevant forms to tenants as requested and complying with the statutory timescales for dealing with applications.
Copies of our publications Your Right to Buy your Home and Thinking of Buying your Council Flat, are available from the DirectGov website; they can also be ordered in bulk from our publishing house in Wetherby. These booklets provide general guidance and information about the Right to Buy scheme and are specifically aimed at tenants who are considering buying the homes they rent from a public sector landlord.Although these booklets provide basic information about Right to Buy, we would strongly recommend that professional organisations refer directly to Right to Buy legislation, which can be found in sections 118 -188 of Part V of the Housing Act 1985 (as amended). Schedules 4 and 5 of this Act are also essential reading, as they cover the qualifying period for Right to Buy, the basis on which the discount entitlement is calculated and the exceptions to the Right to Buy scheme.
Mortgage companies wishing to offer a mortgage to Right to Buy tenants must either be a High Street Bank or Building Society or an Approved Lending Institution, to enable them to secure the first charge on the property. A current list of Approved Lending Institutions is available in this section.
Home Information Packs
We have introduced Home Information Packs to improve the process of buying and selling.
