I want to buy my council home

1. What is the Right to Buy scheme?

You may be able to buy your council home if you’ve been a public sector tenant for at least 3 years.

The?Right to Buy?scheme gives you a?discount?on the market value of your home. The longer you’ve been a tenant, the bigger the discount, up to?£30,000.

Here’s how the discount works:

Houses and bungalows: 35% discount, plus 1% more for each extra year (up to 70%)

Flats and maisonettes: 50% discount, plus 2% more for each extra year (up to 70%)

The value of your home is decided by an East Devon District Council valuer. They won’t count any improvements you’ve made.

You can find more details on the?gov.uk website.

For any Right to Buy questions, please email righttobuy@eastdevon.gov.uk

2. Repairs during the Right to Buy process

Once we’ve agreed that you can buy your council home, we’ll continue to do basic repairs.

We’ll make sure:

Drains and gutters and other external pipes are maintained

The?gas and electric?are safe

We fix?heating problems, plumbing leaks and other emergency repairs

However, your home will no longer be part of our ongoing improvement plans, like our kitchen and bathroom replacement programme.

3. Exceptions to the Right to Buy process

You may not be allowed to buy your council home if:

It’s specially designed for older people

It’s classed as sheltered housing for elderly or disabled people

There are other exceptions too. To find out more, please email us at righttobuy@eastdevon.gov.uk. We can explain if your home is affected.

4. What to think about before you buy your home

Do you have the right to buy your home?

This depends on a few things, like the type of home you live in and how long you’ve been a social housing tenant.

Can you afford it?

Think about all the costs. You’ll need to pay for:

Repairs and maintenance

Insurance

Service charges

Mortgage payments

Can you still afford it if things change in the future?

It’s important to think about what might happen later, like changes to your job, health, or family.

Need help or advice?

Our?Right to Buy officer?can explain how the process works. Please email righttobuy@eastdevon.gov.uk.

Before you go ahead, it’s a good idea to get?professional financial and legal advice.

5. Selling on your home

If you decide to sell your home within?10 years?of buying it, you must first offer to sell it back to us (East Devon District Council). This is called the?“right of first refusal”?and is part of the law (Housing Act 1985).

If your home is in a?rural area?or an?area of outstanding natural beauty, different rules apply. These homes have a special rule called?Section 157?of the Housing Act.

Devon Covenant

Homes outside the towns of?Exmouth, Sidmouth, Seaton, and Honiton?are sold with a rule that helps keep them available for?local people.

If you want to sell one of these homes, you must get?written permission from us. We will give permission if the person buying the home has?lived or worked in Devon?for at least?3 years?before applying.

If you think this rule might apply to your home, please contact our?Legal team:

Call:?01395 571678
Email:?Legal@eastdevon.gov.uk

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