Right to buy (buy your council home)

The Right to Buy scheme helps eligible council and housing association tenants in England buy their homes and gives tenants a discount on the open market.

Who is eligible?

You can apply to buy your council home if you:

  • are at least 18 years old
  • are a council tenant with a secure tenancy agreement
  • have had a public sector landlord (a council, housing association, armed forces or NHS trust) for 3 years - it doesn’t have to be 3 years in a row
  • the property you are applying to buy is your only or main home

You may be able to exercise the Right to Buy jointly with up to three other qualifying family members if they have lived in the property for 12 months prior to you submitting your application and it is their only or main home.

Time spent in temporary accommodation (for example, a bed and breakfast or a hostel) or time spent as a demoted tenant does not count towards your qualifying period.