Right To Buy (RTB)

Right to Buy (RTB)
Right to Acquire (RTA)

The Right to Buy (RTB) was introduced in 1980 to enable social housing tenants to buy their home with the benefit of a discount. The new Labour government made a manifesto pledge to review the level of discounts (most recently reviewed in 2012), and as a result Labour’s first Budget on 30 October 2024 announced significant changes to the Right to Buy.

The changes also apply to Preserved Right to Buy (unless stated otherwise), but do not affect the Right to Acquire.

Changes as of 21 November 2024

From 21 November 2024, when the government’s secondary legislation (laid in Parliament on 30 October) is intended to come into force, RTB discounts have reduced from their previous levels. From this date, as we are based in the West Midlands the maximum discount will now be £26,000 or 70% discount, whichever is the lower.

Any Right to Buy applications along with the required supporting documents received after this date will have the new lower discount applied.

For more information from the Government about these changes, visit this link: Right to Buy your Council Home

The Right to Acquire (RTA) is a government scheme in England that allows eligible housing association tenants to buy their home at a discount.

Unlike the Right to Buy scheme, which applies to council tenants, the Right to Acquire is specifically for those living in properties provided by housing associations.

As of the latest update from the UK government, eligible tenants can get discounts ranging from £9,000 to £16,000 depending on the property’s location within England. To qualify, tenants must have spent at least three years as a public sector tenant, which can be in housing association homes or through other public sector landlords.

Eligibility and Impact of Recent Changes

The scheme is currently available only to tenants whose homes were built or acquired by a housing association using public funds after 1 April 1997 or have transferred from a local council to a housing association after that date.

Importantly, the recent changes to the Right to Buy discounts do not impact the Right to Acquire, meaning the conditions and discounts remain unchanged for now.

For more detailed eligibility requirements and the application process, tenants can refer to the official UK government guidance:

Right to Acquire on GOV.UK.

If you are looking for information on the Right to Acquire (RTA), click the button below to visit the page.

Are you looking to apply for Right to Buy (RTB)

You may only apply for the Right to Buy if you were a tenant with Newcastle Borough Council prior to transfer to ourselves, and have remained a tenant. If there have been any breaks in tenancy or you have become a tenant since 1 February 2000, you should request the information pack for the Right to Acquire.

We recommend you read the Government “Your Right to Buying Your Home” guidance before applying, which can be found at www.gov.uk/right-to-buy-buying-your-council-home.

What happens during the application?

Telephone Pre-Application Meeting:

A pre application meeting is a good opportunity to ask any questions that you may have about your application. We can offer advice on how to complete the form and avoid any delays by making sure that everything is filled in correctly. We can also give you advice about the supporting documents needed to accompany your application, tell you what happens next and let you know what time scales to expect.

If you would like a meeting to discuss your application, please contact us so that we can arrange a telephone appointment for you. Please call 01782 635200 and ask to speak to Linda Morgan, Property Law Coordinator or email RTBandRTA@aspirehousing.co.uk

Application and Documentation

Along with your completed application form, you need to provide supporting documentation outlined in our checklist.

Please take time to review this and ensure you have all the relevant information before applying. Please note, an application will not be accepted with an application form alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find out what my property is worth?

Check Zoopla and Rightmove for recently sold properties in your area.

How long will it take for my application to be processed?

Initially, we have 4 weeks to process your application. Throughout the process, we’ll let you know at each stage what the timescales are to complete to help with the purchasing of your property.

How much discount will I receive?

Each scheme uses different calculations for purchasing your property - please use the Right to Buy calculator (https://righttobuy.gov.uk/can-i-afford-it/) or the Right to Acquire discount sheet (https://www.gov.uk/right-to-acquire-buying-housing-association-home/discounts)

If I buy my flat, do I still need to pay service charges for this and what does this cover?

You will still need to continue to pay service charges to your landlord if you buy your flat or maisonette. Service charges are what you have to pay towards repairs, maintenance, major building works such as re-roofing and services provided for the upkeep of communal areas shared by other residents and management costs. They can be quite substantial, particularly in large blocks of flats.

It is important you study the offer notice carefully as this will tell you the likely costs you will be asked to pay.

Can my family members purchase with me?

Up to 3 family members can purchase alongside a tenant if they have resided in the property for the last 12 months and it is their main home. Proof of residency will be required.

How should I provide a signature?

All application forms must be submitted with a handwritten signature from all applicants. If an application is submitted with an electronic signature, you will be asked to resign the relevant page and resubmit causing delay to the processing of your application.

How To Apply

Please contact us if you wish to request an application form or request a call back to complete the form. If you are able to apply, we will send out an application pack for you to complete.

Please note, you will not be able to apply if you have rent arrears.

Once you have completed and signed the application form, and collated the required supporting documents, you can send this to us in two ways. Either;

By Email to RTBandRTA@aspirehousing.co.uk or;
By post to our Kingsley Offices, The Brampton, Newcastle, Staffordshire, ST5 0QW marked for the attention of Linda Morgan, Property Law Co-ordinator

We recommend that applications are sent via email where possible which will result in them being processed more efficiently.

What Happens Next?

Once your application is submitted with all the required supporting documents, we will acknowledge receipt within five working days. Within 4 weeks, you can then expect to receive a form, which informs you if you have the Right to buy.

Please tell us if any mortgage offer has an expiry date so that we can avoid any problems.

The average length of time that it takes to purchase a property from when we receive your application is 8 months for a house and 10 months for a flat.

Please be aware:

We can’t accept application forms if we receive part verification and they will be returned.
We will begin to process your application as soon as we have received all supported documents.
Your rent account needs to be kept up to date at all times, throughout this process
We only require copies of ID, please do not send us originals

Think twice before getting advice from any agency that asks you for money to help you. They may be asking you to pay for advice you could just as easily get free of charge from one of the resources on our useful contacts

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Right to Acquire (RTA) Right to Buy on GOV.UK MyAccount