Do I have the Right-To-Buy?

The criteria

You may be able to buy your Council home if:

  • you are a secure tenant
  • you do not live in sheltered accommodation
  • your tenancy was in existence before 18th January 2005 and you have been a tenant for two years
  • your tenancy started after 18th January 2005 and you have been a tenant for five years
  • we are not taking action against you for anti-social behaviour.

The qualifying period includes any tenancies you have had with any local authority and sometimes a tenancy with the HM Forces or with a housing association.

You can purchase your home together if you have a joint tenancy and /or with other family members as long as the home you want to buy has been their main home for at least one year prior to the application. An application form is available from the Council.

An information booklet to accompany the application form is available.

If you would like an application form, please email us your name, address and telephone number.

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Once your application has been accepted

Once your application has been accepted, we will arrange for your home to be valued. There is no charge for this valuation.

You will have to pay for the following fees:

  • solicitors fees
  • land search fees
  • land registry fees
  • stamp duty
  • conveyancing fees
  • structural survey fee.

NB: any improvement work which you may have carried out on your home will not affect the price.

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The offer

The Council will make an offer to you, taking into account your discount entitlement. This discount entitlement depends on the number of years you have been a tenant and will vary according to the type of property you wish to buy.

When you make a Right-To-Buy application any outstanding repairs or further request for repairs to your home will be suspended. Only urgent repairs will be carried out.

If you want to buy your flat or maisonette, you will be buying the leasehold from the Council. The Council will make an annual service charge for:

  • communal repairs
  • communal maintenance
  • cleaning of communal areas and the estate
  • ground rent
  • communal lighting charge
  • management charge
  • heating charge (if property is served by a communal boiler).

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Contact us

If you would like an application form please contact Tenant and Leaseholder Services at the Civic Offices, telephone 01483 743606 or email  T&L@woking.gov.uk