If you want to buy your council home you must :-
have spent at least two years as a public sector tenant and your secure tenancy began before 18 January 2005
or
you were a public sector tenant before 18 January 2005 (and you have been a public sector tenant continuously since that time)
For anyone else you do not have the Right to Buy until you have spent at least five years as a public sector tenant. This applies to new tenants who have a tenancy which began after 17 January 2005.
How do I know if my tenancy is 'secure'?
Before an application can be made you must have been a secure tenant, for a minimum period of two years, with a Local Authority Housing Department, or other public sector landlord such as a housing association. Periods of time spent serving in the armed forces may also count towards the qualifying period. This two year period has been increased to five years for new tenants whose first tenancy with a local authority started after 17 January 2005.
If you only became a tenant for the first time at your current tenancy with the Council less than 12 months ago you may have an 'introductory tenancy' This means that your tenancy will not be secure until a 12 month continuous period has been completed (this period may be extended to 18 months by the Council). If you have an Introductory Tenancy then you will not be a secure tenant until the introductory period has been completed. You will be unable to apply to purchase your council property until your tenancy becomes secure.
There are other reasons why a tenancy may become insecure. These reasons include:
- Going to Court for rent arrears, and breaking an arrangement made by the Court to repay the arrears to the Council,
- Acts of anti-social behaviour ,
- Breaking other conditions of your tenancy agreement – such as renting out your property to another person(s) without the consent of the Council.
If you are still unsure whether your Council tenancy is “secure” the Council House Sales Team who will be able to advise you. E-mail your enquiry, property address, and contact telephone number to house.sales@leeds.gov.uk
Can I jointly purchase my home along with a relative or friend?
Under the RTB scheme secure tenants may include up to 3 other people in the application who are family members all of which must have lived at the property as “their only or principal home”, on a continuous basis, for at least 12 months before the RTB application is made.
Family members include, legal spouses, parents, grandparents, children, adopted children, grandchildren, common law and same sex partners all of which must also be aged 18 or over at the application date.
No more than four secure joint tenants and three further family members can be included.
We will need to check that the person(s) you wish to buy your home with you all qualify under the rules of the scheme.
You can download a number of useful documents from this page