Buying a home

If you would like to buy a home there are a number of government schemes that you may be eligible for, which could help you buy a home.

These include:

• Preserved Right to Buy
• Right to Acquire
• Shared ownership

Please find below further details about each scheme, along with eligibility criteria.

Preserved Right to Buy

If you were a secure council tenant and were living in your home when it was transferred from your council to another landlord, like a housing association, then you may have a Preserved Right to Buy.

South Staffordshire customers

If your home used to be owned by South Staffordshire Council, transferred to South Staffordshire Housing Association (SSHA) while you were living in it (on 10 March 1997) and you have remained a tenant of SSHA and Homes Plus without any breaks, you may qualify for the Preserved Right to Buy.

Stafford Borough Customers

If your home used to be owned by Stafford Borough Council, transferred to Stafford & Rural Homes (SARH) while you were living in it (on 6 February 2006) and you have remained a tenant of SARH and Homes Plus without any breaks, you may qualify for the Preserved Right to Buy.

Shropshire customers

If your home used to be owned by Shrewsbury & Atcham Borough Council, transferred to Severnside Housing while you were living in it (on 1 October 2001) and you have remained a tenant of Severnside and Homes Plus without any breaks, you may qualify for the Preserved Right to Buy.

As of 21 November 2024, the maximum Preserved Right to Buy discount limit across England is £26,000.

There are a number of exceptions to you exercising your right to buy your home:

• Your home is designed or has been adapted for the elderly or disabled.
• You live in sheltered housing where services are provided.
• Your home is provided to you as part of your job.
• You have legal problems with debt.
• The courts have made a possession order for you to leave your home.
• Your home is to be demolished.

You can find out more about Preserved Right to Buy by visiting the Government website.

If you wish to apply to buy your home under a Preserved Right to Buy please call our customer service team on 0800 048 8955

Right to Acquire

If you don’t have a Preserved Right to Buy, you may still be able to purchase your property, at a smaller discount, under another scheme called Right to Acquire. Discounts vary, depending on where you live.

You can apply to buy your housing association home if you’ve had a public sector landlord for three years. These landlords include:

• Housing associations
• Councils
• Armed services
• NHS trusts and foundation trusts

There are a number of exceptions to you exercising the right to acquire your home:

• You have not been a public sector tenant for three years.
• You do not live in a property that Homes Plus built or purchased, using public funds, on or after 1 April 1997.
• Your home is sheltered/supported or has been designed/adapted for the elderly or disabled.
• Your property is in an exempt area.
• A court has ordered you to leave your home.
• You are being made bankrupt.

You can find out more about Right to Acquire by visiting the Government website.

If you wish to apply to buy your home under Right to Acquire please call our customer service team on 0800 048 8955