Right to Buy your council home

If you're a tenant in a council property, you can buy your home from Oxford City Council under the Right to Buy scheme.

To be eligible, you must have been a tenant for at least 3 years. This includes tenancy with Oxford City Council, other councils, housing associations, or armed forces accommodation.

Some council properties are not eligible for Right to Buy. These include:

• specialist housing for elderly or disabled people
• properties linked to your job
• properties with non-secure tenancy, like introductory tenancies

If you're buying a flat or maisonette, you'll get a lease, usually for 125 years. Besides your mortgage, you'll also pay an annual service charge and contribute to major maintenance works.

How to value your home

To get an estimate of your home's value, you can use Zoopla's online service. Remember, this is just a guideline and not an official valuation.

Considerations before applying for right to buy

Before applying, consider:

• consulting a mortgage broker for advice and affordability checks
• attending an interview with a Right to Buy officer during the application process
• understanding that providing false information can lead to application rejection and investigation by our Housing Fraud team

Additional costs to consider include Stamp Duty, building survey, financial and legal advice, ongoing repairs, and insurance.

After buying, Oxford City Council will only carry out essential maintenance as legally required.

It is for your legal representative to advise you and for you to satisfy yourself that you wish to proceed based on the advice you have received.

We recommend reviewing all documentation on the government's Right to Buy website.

5 key questions you can ask yourself before you buy:

• do I have the Right to Buy?
• can I afford it as right now as we know people are struggling with their mortgage increases, energy bills and the cost of living?
• can I afford it if things change in the future?
• what are the benefits and risks?
• where can I get advice?

For more information read the Right to Buy summary booklet and the Right to Buy guidance.

Discounts when buying your council home

You may be eligible for a discount, with the maximum being £102,400. Your discount depends on:

• your tenancy duration with a public sector landlord
• the property type (flat or house)
• your home's value

Calculating Your discount

Use the Right to Buy calculator to estimate your discount.

Houses

You get a 35% discount if you’ve been a public sector tenant for between 3 and 5 years. After 5 years, the discount goes up 1% for every extra year you’ve been a public sector tenant, up to a maximum of 70% or £102,400 across England and £136,400 in London boroughs (whichever is lower).

Flats

You get a 50% discount if you’ve been a public sector tenant for between 3 and 5 years. After 5 years, the discount goes up 2% for every extra year you’ve been a public sector tenant, up to a maximum of 70% or £102,400 across England and £136,400 in London boroughs (whichever is lower).

How to apply for right to buy

To apply, follow these steps:

• complete the Right to Buy application form and post it to us
• expect a response within 4 weeks (or 8 weeks if we've been your landlord for less than 3 years)
• we'll send an offer within 8 weeks for freehold properties, or 12 weeks for leasehold properties, if approved

After filling out the online form, print, sign, and send it by recorded delivery to your landlord. Keep a copy for your records.