Right to Buy
Check if you're eligible
Right to Buy allows most secure council tenants to buy their council home at a discount.
You need to be a secure tenant and have been a public sector tenant for at least 3 years.
The government's Right to Buy service
The government’s Right to Buy service can help with:
- finding out if you are eligible for the right to buy
- working out your discount
- looking at your funding choices
- guidance about the costs involved and whether you can afford it long term
- completing your application form
- finding a solicitor.
Check if you can afford to buy your home
Buying a home is an expensive process. You should check if you can afford it before you submit a Right to Buy application.
You also need to be sure you can afford the ongoing costs of owning a home. If you do not make your mortgage payments, your mortgage lender could repossess your home.
Visit the government’s MoneyHelper website for estimates of the upfront and ongoing costs of buying your home.
Assigning a tenancy and Right to Buy
Some tenants ask to assign their tenancy to another family member because the family member will find it easier to get a mortgage.
We have very strict criteria for assigning a tenancy. Our first concern is for the wellbeing and security of our tenants.
Assigning a tenancy could put our tenants in a difficult housing situation because they lose the protection of a secure tenancy.
Officers will consider assignment requests carefully. We will not agree if it puts our tenant at risk.
Apply
To get an application form to buy your council home visit the Right to Buy website.
Post your completed form to:
Neighbourhood Services
Observatory House
25 Windsor Road
Slough
SL1 2EL.
Free help and advice
Tenants don't always get good advice when they ask companies or other people for help with buying their council home.
Sometimes tenants pay a lot of money for things that you can get for free.
If a person or company offers to help you to buy your council home, find out what's in it for them. Talk to the Right to Buy Service before agreeing to anything.