Rental tenants: buy your home

Buying the home that you rent

The Right to Acquire scheme could help you buy the home you rent from BCHF and is open to BCHF Assured tenants. As well as living in a property that qualifies, you must also have been a BCHF or other public sector tenant (e.g council or other housing association) for at least 2 years.

The discount is a fixed amount that is set by the Government and amount is dependant on where you live.

For more details on the scheme, including who has the Right to Acquire, how it operates, how discounts are calculated, and the financial implications of owning your own home, call Allister Young on 0117 9319775

BCHF tenants and the Right to Acquire

The Housing Act 1996 gives tenants with a full assured tenancy the Right to Acquire their home if it was funded by public subsidy.  Not all BCHF properties were built with public subsidy so some tenants do not have this right.  However, residents in such homes may still be able to buy their homes (see below).

There are certain criteria that a tenant wishing to buy his or her home must meet.  Anyone interested in exercising their Right to Acquire should ask the Foundation for the comprehensive leaflet which explains this process.  It also mentions other costs that need to be taken into account when buying a home in addition to the cost of the property.

Buying your home where there is no Right to Acquire

For residents living in a property that was built without public subsidy, it may still be possible to buy your home through a “staircasing” process as long as the eligibility criteria are met.  If you are interested in carrying out a Social Home Buy, please contact the Foundation.