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Right to buy

Who has the right to buy

The Right to Buy gives most Council tenants the opportunity to buy their home with a discount off the full market value of the property. 

Secure tenants of Brentwood Borough Council can buy their Council home through the Right to Buy Scheme subject to certain conditions. There are costs involved in purchasing your home that we aren't able to help you with such as:

  • mortgage repayments
  • leaseholder charges
  • building insurance
  • repairs and maintenance

You may also be charged fees for the necessary services of solicitors, valuers and surveyors. Before you consider purchasing we recommend you find the price of similar properties in your area. You can find out house prices from the Land Registry website. You may have to pay a small charge for this information.

You don't have the Right to Buy until you have been a public sector tenant (not a private tenant) for at least three years.

Previous public sector tenancies may also be taken into consideration, along with certain other criteria you will have to meet.

You can find more information by visiting Gov.uk: Thinking of buying your council property.

Right to buy discount

If you're eligible, you will qualify for a discount. The discount will be based on the current market value of your home. The discount starts at:

  • 35% between 3 and 5 years tenancy for houses and rising by 1% for each year you have been a tenant, to a maximum of 70%
  • 50% between 3 and 5 years tenancy for a flat and rising by 2% for each year you have been a tenant, to a maximum of 70%

Your discount can't be greater than the maximum discount currently allowed by government which is £102,400 as of 6 April 2024. As of 21 November 2024, the new maximum discount will be further capped to £38,000 for any applications received on or after this date. If you submit an application to us on or before 20 November 2024, you will be eligible for the current maximum discount of £102,400.

If major repairs or improvements have been made to your home in the past, the purchase price may be affected. The discount may also be affected if you have previously purchased a social housing property with a discount.

Applying for right to buy

When returning your application form RTB1, and to speed up the overall process, we ask that you include:

  1. completed additional information form
  2. photo ID for all people wanting to purchase the property
  3. evidence that you have spoken with a mortgage advisor or bank to find out the maximum amount of money you could reasonably borrow based on your current income. This is not a mortgage in principle and won't need a valuation of the property. If you're a cash buyer, you should provide evidence of the funds and where they are from.
  4. last 3 months bank statements for all accounts of all persons purchasing the property
  5. proof of address for at least the past 12 months for any non-named tenant

Whilst this won't hold up the initial part of your Right to Buy, if not received, it will prevent any Section 125 offer of sale price being issued.

Once you have submitted your Right to Buy application, only emergency repairs will be carried out on your property.

For more information, visit Gov.uk: Right to buy or view the Right to Buy Guide (PDF).

To apply, complete the Right to Buy Application Form RTB1 (PDF) and the Right to Buy Application - Additional information form (PDF).

Once you have completed your forms, email them to homeownership@brentwood.gov.uk or post them to:

Town Hall
Ingrave Road
Brentwood
CM15 8AY

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