Who has the right to buy their property?

Tenants who have the Right to Buy, the Preserved Right to Buy or the Right to Acquire are able to purchase their property. They are referred to as ‘the Right to Buy’ in this article.

What are Right to Buy / Preserved Right to Buy?

The right to buy scheme was introduced in 1980. It was a way of tenants being able to buy their home at a discount, based on the number of years they had spent as a tenant. It is only available to secure residents of a Non-Charitable Housing Association, Local Authority or other Registered Social Landlord RSL.

However if you were a secure tenant of a Local Authority, which was subject to a transfer to a Housing Association or other RSL, you may have what is known as ‘Preserved Right to Buy’. This only applies if you were living in the property at the time of the transfer and are still living in the property.

What is Right to Acquire?

The Right to Acquire is for properties built or purchased by Mosscare on or after the 1st April 1997, funded through a social housing grant given by the Housing Corporation to Mosscare.

Which Mosscare Housing tenants can buy their property?

As mentioned above, if you were a former Manchester City Council tenant and were living in the property when it transferred over to Mosscare Housing Limited, you may be able to buy your property.

Properties that Mosscare have bought or built since the 1^st April 1997, that were purchased using social housing grant.

Who is exempt from buying their property?

Existing tenants of Mosscare Housing, as Mosscare is a charitable housing association and as such tenants of a charitable housing association are exempt from the right to buy scheme.

Tenants of a sheltered housing scheme for the elderly and special needs schemes are also exempt from Right to Buy. Tenants of temporary accommodation such as hostels and student lets are also exempt from Right to Buy.

Are there any other criteria for buying your property?

Yes, you must have spent at least 2 years as a tenant; if your tenancy commenced before the 18^th January 2005, or 5 years for all other tenancies, and your property is your only home and is self-contained. You cannot buy your home if you have a court possession order which says you must leave your home, you cannot purchase your home if you are an un-discharged bankrupt nor have a bankruptcy petition pending against you.

You can exercise a joint right to buy with a member of your family, if they have lived with you for the past 12 months, or with a person who is a joint tenant with you.

Right to Buy Application Form  (682 KB)

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