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Find out about the Right to Buy (RTB) and Right to Acquire (RTA) schemes, including who may be eligible, the discounts available and how to apply. We'll explain each step of the process, how long it can take and the costs you need to consider before deciding whether buying your home is right for you.
Right to Buy was introduced in the 1980s and allows qualifying council tenants to purchase their home at a discounted price.
You may qualify if you:
If your tenancy started with a housing association, you will likely have an assured tenancy, which usually does not qualify for RTB.
Right to Acquire is a separate government scheme designed for eligible housing association tenants.
To be considered for RTA:
You must complete the correct application form on the Government website.
Make sure you apply via the correct application.
Complete and sign the relevant application form (RTB1 or RTA1). Make sure all sections are completed before sending it to us.
By post (recommended): Send your application by recorded delivery to:
Citizen Housing
4040 Lakeside
Solihull Parkway
Birmingham
B37 7YN
By email: Email us a clear scanned copy of your signed form.
Don't use third-party or unofficial websites to submit your application.
Once we receive your application, we'll send you an acknowledgement confirming when you can expect our decision.
Within 4 weeks, we'll either:
If we need more information, such as details of your previous tenancy history, this timescale may be extended to up to 8 weeks.
If your application is accepted, we'll arrange for an independent RICS-qualified valuer to assess your property. The valuer is external to Citizen to ensure the valuation is fair and unbiased.
Once your property has been valued, we'll send you a Section 125 Offer Notice. This will include:
When you'll receive your offer:
It's essential that you read your Section 125 Offer Notice carefully and make sure you fully understand it.
Your Section 125 Offer Notice will include a Tenant's Notice of Intention. You must complete and return this within 12 weeks.
You'll need to confirm:
If the form is incomplete, it may not be accepted and could delay your application.
You'll need to confirm how you intend to pay for your home. This could be through:
Before proceeding, make sure you understand how you'll fund the purchase. You'll also need to provide evidence of your funding as part of the process.
Once we receive your completed Notice of Intention:
A Land Registry-compliant plan showing your property's boundaries will be produced and included with our legal documents.
We'll prepare the legal documents and instruct external solicitors.
Your solicitor and our solicitor will carry out the legal work, known as conveyancing. They'll communicate with each other until both sides are ready to complete the sale.
This stage typically takes at least 16 weeks, but it may take longer depending on your individual circumstances.
From application to completion, the process typically takes a minimum of 9 months. This is a legal process set by government legislation, so delays can sometimes occur.
Purchasing your home involves costs in addition to the purchase price. These may include legal and professional fees like:
When buying your home through RTB or RTA, there may be ongoing costs you need to consider.
If you buy a flat, you'll usually own it on a leasehold basis. This means you may need to pay:
For more information about being a leaseholder, visit our Leasehold page or contact The Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE).
LEASE is a government-funded, independent body that provides free advice on residential leasehold and park home law in England and Wales.
Some houses may have additional costs called Estate Rent Charges.
An Estate Rent Charge is a fee homeowners pay towards maintaining shared areas on an estate, such as:
These charges are often associated with flats, but they can also apply to houses. In simple terms, an Estate Rent Charge is similar to a service charge, but it covers shared areas around houses rather than within a building.
These charges are separate from your mortgage and household bills. They can change over time depending on maintenance costs. Details of any applicable charges will be included in your Section 125 Offer Notice.
It's important to keep in mind other costs when budgeting and deciding on whether to apply, these include:
Do not complete or submit application forms through third-party or unofficial websites. There's a risk that:
Always use the official GOV.UK forms and submit them directly to Citizen:
