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Right to Buy
Right to Buy allows some customers to buy their home at a discount.
Customers in Scotland cannot buy through the Right to Buy scheme as the scheme ended in 2016.
What is Right to Buy?
Right to Buy is a government scheme that allows some social housing tenants to buy the home that they currently rent at a discount.
Who is Right to Buy for?
You may be eligible for this scheme if you have a “secure” tenancy – this usually applies if you have been renting your home from us since before 15th January 1989. Alternatively, you may have “preserved” Right to Buy if you were a tenant of the council when your tenancy was transferred to Home Group.
Do you qualify for Right to Buy?
You may qualify for Right to Buy if:
- You have a secure tenancy or the preserved Right to Buy
- The property you rent from Home Group is your only or main home
- The property you rent from Home Group is self-contained
- You’ve had a public sector landlord (e.g. a council, or Home Group) for at least three years
How much is the discount for Right to Buy?
The maximum discount you can get is whichever is lower:
- 70% of the value of your property
- The maximum discount for your region (see below)
Maximum discounts by region
| Region | Maximum discount | Exceptions |
| North East | £22,000 | |
| North West | £26,000 | |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £24,000 | |
| East Midlands | £24,000 | |
| West Midlands | £26,000 | |
| Eastern | £34,000 | £16,000 in the district of Watford |
| South East | £38,000 | £16,000 in the areas of Reading Borough and West Berkshire, Hart District, Oxford and Vale of the White Horse District, the boroughs of Tonbridge and Malling, Epsom and Ewell, and Reigate and Banstead |
| South West | £30,000 | |
| London | £16,000 | £38,000 in the boroughs of Barking and Dagenham and Havering |
Speak with our team
Want to buy the home you rent from Home Group but not sure what options are available to you? Complete the online form and our team will get back in touch.
Right to Buy FAQs
Can I make a joint application for Right to Buy?
If you’re eligible, you may be able to buy with someone who is on the tenancy agreement with you, your spouse or civil partner or up to three family members who have been living in your home for at least 12 months before you apply (they don’t need to share your tenancy but it must be their main home).
I don’t know how much my home is worth. How can I find out?
If you’re eligible, we’ll send you an application pack which gives you an estimated value for your property. If your application is approved, an independent qualified surveyor will visit your property to determine the current market value.
Will I need to pay back the discount if I sell my home?
It depends. If you sell your home less than five years after buying through the Right to Buy scheme then you will need to repay some (or all) of your discount. But if you sell after those first five years then you won’t need to repay any of the discount.
What is Voluntary Right to Buy?
In 2015 the government talked about extending the Right to Buy scheme on a Voluntary basis, to eligible Housing Association tenants with an assured tenancy.
A pilot was run in the Midlands between 2018 and 2021.
In 2022, the government announced an intention to extend the Right to Buy to housing association tenants however they have issued no further updates to date.