How to apply
The Right to Buy scheme allows eligible council tenants in England to buy their council home at a discounted price.
To be eligible, you must be a public sector tenant, held a secure tenancy for a minimum of 3 years and live in the property as your main and principal home.
To apply, you will need to complete the Right to Buy application form (RTB1) – this can be downloaded from the government website.
Tip: Check your eligibility and get all necessary documents ready before applying to avoid delays.
Download the Right to Buy application form
Support
If you need help completing the RTB1, you can:
- email righttobuy@enfield.gov.uk
- call the Right to Buy Advisory Helpline on 0300 123 0913
What happens after you apply
- We will send you an acknowledgement letter
- Within 4 weeks, we will confirm whether your application has been accepted
- A valuation of your property will be undertaken
- If accepted, we will send you a formal Offer Notice within 12 weeks if you live in a flat/maisonette or 8 weeks if you live in a house or bungalow
- You then have 12 weeks from the date of your Offer Notice to inform us of your intentions
Once you accept, the process to complete the sale usually takes several months before completion, as there are other stages that must be completed.
Checks we will make
All applications are reviewed by our Counter Fraud Investigation team. If you provide false or misleading information, or intentionally withhold important details, you may be prosecuted under the Fraud Act 2006, which carries penalties of up to 10 years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both.
We will also check your details against:
- Housing Benefit records
- other government department data
- fraud detection databases
If any other fraud is detected (for example, in relation to Housing Benefit), we may stop or adjust your benefits.
Reasons your application may be refused
Your Right to Buy application will be denied if:
- you are not a secure (long-term) tenant
- any tenant on a joint tenancy has not given their consent
- we cannot verify your identity or eligibility
- the property is not your main home
- the property has been specially adapted for disabled or elderly tenants
- the property shares facilities (e.g., kitchen or bathroom) with other households
- you have a court order against you for your current or a previous tenancy
- you are an undischarged bankrupt or are in the process of being declared bankrupt
- the home is due to be demolished, and you have been served with a Demolition Order
Buying your council home
Check your eligibility
Before applying, find out if you are eligible for the Right to Buy and what discount you may be entitled to by – visit GOV.UK - Right to Buy: buying your council home.
Changes to Right to Buy discounts
Important: From 21 November 2024, the discounts available for council homes in England has been reduced. The deadline to apply for the current higher discount was midnight Wednesday 20 November 2024.
Applications received after this date will be subject to the lower discount.
- For houses, the discount is 35% for the first 5 years, going up by 1% for every full year
- For flats, the discount is 50% for the first 5 years, going up 2 percent for every full year
Whether you live in a house or a flat, the maximum discount has now been caped at £16,000.
How the purchase price is calculated
The price you pay will be based on the current market valuation of your property, minus your eligible discount
An independent valuation will be carried out to set the market value.
Who you can apply with
You can apply to buy your home as single/ joint tenants and with up to 3 family members. Your family members must have lived at the property for at least a minimum 12 months before the submission of an RTB1 and be over the age of 18 years.
Eligible family members can include:
- husband
- wife
- civil partner
- partner
- parent
- grandparent
- child
- grandchild
- brother
- sister
- uncle
- aunt
- nephew
- niece
How you can fund your purchase
- Cash
- Mortgage (some lenders may accept the Right to Buy discount as a deposit, but you must check with them directly)
- Gifted money
- A combination of all three
Selling or letting your property
Once you own your home through the Right to Buy scheme, you have more flexibility in how you use it with certain rules.
Letting your home (subletting)
You can rent your home out once you own it.
If you are a leaseholder, you must:
- inform us and provide an alternative contact address
- register with Home Ownership Services – email leaseholder@enfield.gov.uk
- make sure you have the correct tenancy agreements and valid landlord insurance in place
- If your home is mortgaged, check with your lender before subletting
Paying back your discount
If you sell your property within the first 5 years of buying it, you must repay all or part of the discount you received. This is calculated as a percentage of the resale value of your home, not the original purchase price.
Repayment rates:
- Year 1: 100% of the discount
- Year 2: 80% of the discount
- Year 3: 60% of the discount
- Year 4: 40% of the discount
- Year 5: 20% of the discount
Example:
- Purchase price: £100,000
- Discount received: 40% (£40,000)
- You sell 18 months later for £120,000.
- 40% of £120,000 = £48,000 discount value at resale price
- Year 2 repayment = 80% of £48,000 = £38,400
Right of First Refusal
If you bought your home under Right to Buy and decide to sell within 10 years, you must give Enfield Council the first opportunity to buy it back before selling it on the open market. This is required by The Housing Act 1985 and your lease/freehold transfer
agreement process:
- Offer the property to Enfield Council first
- Do not agree a sale with another buyer until the council has responded
- HM Land Registry will not register new ownership without written proof from the council that the process was followed
Right of First Refusal application
If you have any queries, email propertyacquisitions@enfield.gov.uk.
Avoiding Right to Buy scams
Be aware of scams where individuals or companies offer to help you buy your home but end up owning it themselves. These offers often leave you without enough money to buy another home. You will also lose the right to another council tenancy. If approached, contact us immediately or seek legal advice from a solicitor or Citizens Advice Bureau.
It is also recommended to keep good records of your purchase, discount amount or any communications with the council as it is essential for when you sell or rent in future.
Housing data privacy statement
Protecting your personal information
Your privacy matters to us. We handle your personal information in line with strict data protection laws.
You can read our full Privacy Notice to understand what information we collect, how we use it and how we keep it safe
Sharing information with the government
We share certain housing data with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) as part of the Continuous Recording of Lettings and Sales in Social Housing in England.
This data is used only for:
- research
- statistical analysis
- helping improve housing policy and services
Your rights and further Information
You can find out more about how MHCLG handles and protects your data by reading their Personal Information Charter on GOV.UK.
Note: We will never share your personal details for marketing purposes or with unauthorised organisations. Your data is only used where the law allows and for purposes that benefit tenants and the wider community.
Contact us
Home Ownership Services
Housing and Regeneration
The Edmonton Centre
36-44 South Mall
Edmonton
N9 0TN
Telephone: 020 8375 8004
Email: righttobuy@enfield.gov.uk