Right to Buy: How to Buy Your Council Home

Last updated: May 2026 · 7 min read

Right to Buy gives eligible council tenants in England the right to buy their council home at a discount. The scheme has been running since 1980 and has helped over 2 million tenants become homeowners. The discounts can be substantial — up to 96,000 pounds outside London or 127,900 pounds in London boroughs.

Who Is Eligible?

You can apply if you are a secure tenant of a council property in England and it is your only or main home. You must have been a public sector tenant (council or housing association) for at least 3 years in total — these do not need to be consecutive or with the same landlord. Joint tenants can apply together. The scheme does not apply in Scotland (which has its own version) or Wales (where it was abolished in 2019).

How Much Discount Do You Get?

The discount depends on how long you have been a tenant and whether your property is a house or a flat. For houses, you get 35% after 3 years of tenancy, increasing by 1% for each additional year up to a maximum of 70%. For flats, you get 50% after 3 years, increasing by 2% per year up to 70%. The maximum discount is capped at 96,000 pounds (or 127,900 pounds in London boroughs). This can represent a life-changing amount of money.

The Application Process

Complete form RTB1 (available from your council or gov.uk) and send it to your landlord. The council has 4 weeks to respond confirming your right to buy (8 weeks for housing association tenants). They then have 8 weeks to provide a valuation. If you disagree with the valuation, you can request an independent determination from the District Valuer within 3 months. Once agreed, arrange your mortgage and solicitor. Use the stamp duty calculator to check costs — you may pay no stamp duty if the discounted price is low enough.

What Happens If You Sell?

If you sell within 5 years of buying, you must repay some or all of the discount. In year 1, you repay 100% of the discount. This reduces by 20% each year, so in year 5 you repay 20%. After 5 years, you keep the full discount. You must also offer the property back to the council or housing association first (right of first refusal) if you sell within 10 years.

Preserved Right to Buy

If your council home was transferred to a housing association, you may have a Preserved Right to Buy with the same discounts. Some housing association tenants without Preserved Right to Buy may qualify for Right to Acquire instead, which offers smaller discounts of 9,000 to 16,000 pounds depending on the region.