Your Home
Home Ownership Unit
Right To Buy
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:
Partnerships and Housing Directorate
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.
- 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, the Home Ownership Unit, or downloaded here.
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 you must have spent 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.
HomeBuy
Orbit is the appointed HomeBuy Agent as part of the Government's National Affordable Housing Programme. They cover the following areas in the West Midlands:
- Staffordshire and Shropshire
- Wolverhampton, Walsall, Dudley, Sandwell, Birmingham and Solihull
- Coventry, Rugby and Warwickshire
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 within the above areas. Orbit, as HomeBuy Agent, plays a crucial role in delivering the Government's strategy for low cost home ownership.
For more information, click here.
Mortgage Rescue Scheme
Our Housing Options Team can offer help and advice if you are in difficulty with your mortgage repayments. They can be contacted on 0121 569 2666 or 0121 569 5285.
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