Interested in buying your council home?

The Home Ownership Unit provides guidance to anyone interested in buying their council property and also co-ordinates the process of valuation and purchase. For further information please contact:

Homes and Communities Directorate

Home Ownership Unit
Council House
High Street
Smethwick
West Midlands
B66 3NT

Telephone: 0121 569 5029
Fax: 0121 569 5100

Opening Hours: Monday to Thursday 9:00am - 5:30pm, Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm

Services

If you are unable to visit the Home Ownership Unit we can provide a home visit. A Right to Buy booklet can be provided in languages other than English and we can also provide interpreters.

What is 'Right to Buy'?

A process which means you can buy your council house for a discounted price, based on the number of years you have spent as a public sector tenant.

How can I apply?

An application form can be obtained from all local neighbourhood offices and directly from:

Department for Communities and Local Government
Communities and Local Government
Eland House
Bressenden Place
London
SW1E 5DU

Telephone: 020 7944 4400
Fax: 020 7944 4104
Email: contactus@communities.gsi.gov.uk

Alternatively, a form can be downloaded from the Directgov website by clicking here.

You can also download further information in the form of booklets.  These are Your Right to Buy Your Home and Thinking of Buying a Council Flat?

Do I qualify?

You are required to be a secure tenant and to have spent a minimum of two years as a public sector tenant; if you are a new tenant after 18th January 2005, then a minimum of five years as a public sector tenant.

How is the discount calculated?

If you live in a house, the discount will be between 32% and 60%. If you have two whole years' tenancy, a discount of 32% is applicable, rising by 1% for every additional whole year to a maximum of thirty years, for which 60% is applicable.

If you live in a flat, the discount will be between 44% and 70%. If you have two whole years' tenancy, a discount of 44% is applicable, rising by 2% for every whole year to a maximum of fifteen years, for which 70% is applicable.

However, there is an upper limit to the discount allowed, which varies according to the region in which you live.  For the West Midlands region the limit is £26,000.

Further help

For further information or guidance, please click here for a guide to moving and buying your home.

HomeBuy

Orbit is the appointed HomeBuy Agent as part of the Government's National Affordable Housing Programme.  Their address is:

Orbit First Step

Garden Court

Harry Weston Road

Binley Business Park

Binley

Coventry

CV3 2SU

Their role as HomeBuy Agent is to offer a one-stop shop for home buyers wishing to access the property ladder, assessing eligibility and delivering the headline marketing of all low cost home ownership schemes. Orbit, as HomeBuy Agent, plays a crucial role in delivering the Government's strategy for low cost home ownership.

For more information, click here to visit the Orbit website.