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.

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 and you have remained a tenant of SSHA 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 and you have remained a tenant of SARH without any breaks, you may qualify for the preserved right to buy.

Shropshire customers
If your home used to be owned by the Shrewsbury & Atcham Borough Council, transferred to Severnside Housing while you were living in it and you have remained a tenant of Severnside without any breaks, you may qualify for the preserved right to buy.  

As of 6 April 2020 the maximum Preserved Right to Buy discount limit across England is £84,200. The discount increases every April in line with Consumer Price Index (CPI).

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

• If your home is designed or has been adapted for the elderly or disabled.
• If you live in sheltered housing where services are provided.
• Your home is provided to you as part of your job.
• If 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 your local customer services team:

Severnside, Shropshire      0300 300 0059
SSHA, Staffordshire           01785 312000
SARH, Staffordshire           0800 111 4554 | rtb@sarh.co.uk​

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 3 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, including:

• You have not been a public sector tenant or tenant of Severnside, SARH or SSHA for 3 years.
• You do not live in a property that SARH, SSHA or Severnside 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 your local customer services team:

Severnside, Shropshire      0300 300 0059
SSHA, Staffordshire           01785 312000
SARH, Staffordshire           0800 111 4554 | rtb@sarh.co.uk​