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- Right To Buy Mortgages 2025
Right to Buy mortgages
A Right to Buy mortgage is any mortgage that can be used with the government’s Right to Buy scheme. Not all lenders offer mortgages for this type of purchase, but a mortgage broker should be able to help you find a suitable one. Before you look at getting a mortgage, however, it’s important to find out if you qualify for the Right to Buy scheme. We’ll look at how the scheme works, who’s eligible and what size of discount you might be able to get.
What is Right to Buy?
Right to Buy is a government scheme available in England which allows most council tenants to buy their rented home at a large discount.
There are not currently any equivalent schemes in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, but each has a range of alternative home ownership schemes that may be suitable.
How to buy your council house through the Right to Buy scheme
The first step is to fill in the Right to Buy application form and send it to your landlord
Your landlord has four weeks to make a decision on whether they will agree to sell. This is extended to eight weeks if they’ve been your landlord for less than three years
If the landlord agrees, they have eight weeks to send you an offer on a freehold property (most houses are freehold) or 12 weeks to send you an offer on a leasehold property (usually, but not always flats). If they refuse to sell to you, they must provide a reason
If your landlord agrees to sell, you have 12 weeks from the offer date to choose whether to accept it or not
Once you’ve accepted an offer, it’s time to look for a suitable mortgage
You may wish to speak to a mortgage broker, as they'll have access to a wide range of lenders and will be able to recommend the right deal for your situation. Our broker partner Mojo Mortgages offers free mortgage advice - tell them a bit about you and the property you want to buy to get started.
Who is eligible for Right to Buy?
You’ll need to meet the following criteria in order to be able to buy your council house or flat:
The property must be your only or main home
It must be a self-contained property - so no shared accommodation
You must be a secure tenant - which means you have a lifetime tenancy. Most council tenants are secure, unless you are on a introductory, temporary or demoted tenancy
You’ve been a public sector tenant for at least three years (doesn’t need to be in a row). Only tenants currently in a council property are eligible, but past tenancies with housing association, NHS trust or armed forces properties will count towards your overall tenancy length when adding up the three years minimum needed
Your home is not sheltered housing or adapted for elderly or disabled tenants
You don’t have any outstanding possession orders against you or serious debt problems such as bankruptcy
You don’t already part own your home with the council
What is Right to Acquire and who is eligible?
Right to Acquire is a very similar scheme that’s available to some housing association tenants, however, the discounts are smaller (between £9,000 and £16,000) and the rules are slightly different. You will still need a minimum public sector tenancy of at least three years.
How much is the Right to Buy discount?
When buying your council home, the size of your discount will depend on the type of property you're buying (whether it’s a house or flat), the total length of your tenancy in the public sector, and the property value.
The longer you’ve been a tenant, the larger your discount is, up to a maximum of 70% of the value of your property or the maximum discount for your region, whichever is lower. Maximum cash discounts range from between £16,000 to £38,000 depending on where you live.
This table shows the size of discount you may be entitled to, depending on the property type and length of your tenancy - though keep in mind that this will be subject to the maximum discount limits, which were reviewed in November 2024.
| Length of tenancy | House | Flat |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 35% | 50% |
| 6 years | 36% | 52% |
| 7 years | 37% | 54% |
| 10 years | 40% | 60% |
| Longer than 10 years | 40% +1% extra for each year up to a maximum of 70% or the value threshold | 60% +2% extra for every year up to a maximum of 70% or the value threshold |
A few important things to note:
If you’ve used right to buy before your discount may be reduced
If your landlord has spent money building or maintaining your home in the last 10 years and your landlord built or acquired your home before 2 April 2012 your discount may be reduced
You won’t be entitled to any discount if your landlord has spent more money on your home than it's currently worth
Can I use my Right to Buy discount as a deposit?
Most lenders will allow you to use your discount as a deposit, so you won’t usually need to provide one in order to get a mortgage. However, this is not true of all lenders, so if you want to ensure that you can use your discount as a deposit it's a good idea to speak to a broker who'll be able to advise you on which lenders will accept it.
That said, bear in mind that there are also other costs involved with buying a home, so you will need to have some savings in order to take out a mortgage for Right to Buy.
Can you make a joint application for Right to Buy?
Yes you can, so long as the joint applicants fulfil one of these criteria:
They share your tenancy
They are a member of your family who have lived with you for 12 months (not necessarily on the tenancy) - up to 3 additional family members can be added
They are your spouse or civil partner.
How to sell your Right to Buy home
Once you’ve bought your council house or flat, it is possible to sell it on, but there are some important points to consider:
If you sell your house within 10 years of purchase, you must:
Offer it back to your previous landlord or another public sector landlord in the area - although you can sell it on the open market if they do not agree to the sale within eight weeks.
If you sell your house within 5 years of purchase, you must also pay back some or all of your discount:
100% if sold in the first year
80% in the second year
60% in the third year
40% in the fourth year
20% in the fifth year
You may also be more limited in your options to sell if your property is considered to be a rural Right to Buy property, but this will be made clear when you buy it.
Can I get a mortgage to buy a home under the Right to Buy scheme?
Yes, you should be able to get a mortgage if you want to buy a home using the Right to Buy scheme. However, you'll need to meet the specific eligibility criteria for the scheme, as well as your chosen lender's eligibility requirements.
Which lenders offer Right to Buy mortgages?
There are over 40 lenders willing to consider Right to Buy applications, including some high street banks such as NatWest and TSB. However, there are usually additional criteria to meet if using a mortgage alongside the scheme. For example, some lenders only lend on houses (rather than flats) or limit the loan to value (LTV) of the borrowing.
Find a mortgage
Tell our trusted partner, Mojo Mortgages, about your mortgage needs. With access to a wide range of lenders and expert knowledge of lender criteria, they'll be able to find and recommend the most suitable mortgage options for you.
Right to buy FAQs
How do I find Right to Buy properties?
If you use the Right to Buy scheme you are only eligible to buy the council property that you’re currently living in, so you won’t need to search for one.
What is the Preserved Right to Buy?
Preserved Right to Buy is where you live in an ex-coucil property that was sold to another landlord - usually a housing association - while you were living in it, and in some cases, you’re still able to buy it.
If you think this may apply to you, it’s worth asking your landlord whether you have the Preserved Right to Buy your home.
Can I buy my home if I receive benefits?
Having benefit income does not restrict you from the Right to Buy scheme. However, it can be difficult to get a mortgage if your income is only made up of benefits.
There are lenders that will consider benefit income when calculating your mortgage (except housing-related benefits), but most will also prefer you to have another form of income from employment, a pension or savings.
YOUR HOME/PROPERTY MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP WITH YOUR MORTGAGE REPAYMENTS.
The FCA does not regulate mortgages on commercial or investment buy-to-let properties.
Uswitch makes introductions to Mojo Mortgages to provide mortgage solutions.
Uswitch and Mojo Mortgages are part of the same group of companies. Uswitch Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under firm reference number 312850. You can check this on the Financial Services Register by visiting the FCA website.
Uswitch Limited is registered in England and Wales (Company No 03612689) The Cooperage, 5 Copper Row, London SE1 2LH.
Mojo Mortgages is a trading style of Life's Great Limited which is registered in England and Wales (06246376). Mojo are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and are on the Financial Services Register (478215)
Mojo’s registered office is The Cooperage, 5 Copper Row, London, SE1 2LH. To contact Mojo by phone, please call 0333 123 0012.