Right to Buy and Right to Acquire

Buying your home is a big decision. Your home can be an asset for you and your family in future years and home ownership can you give you more flexibility. However, it also brings some added responsibility for example, it is likely that you will need to get a mortgage or loan and you will also need to factor in costs for maintaining your home which are usual landlord responsibilities covered by SLH.

If your circumstances change after you have bought your home and you are unable to keep up the mortgage payments you could be at risk of losing your home. Currently, as a housing association tenant, you may be entitled to additional benefits such as Housing Benefit or Universal Credit to help you with your rent if your circumstances change. You cannot claim these to help you with your mortgage.

You have the Right to Buy your home if you were a secure tenant of Liverpool City Council before your home was transferred to SLH and have had no breaks in your tenancy. At the moment, you do not have the Right to Buy your home if you became a tenant of SLH after 4 October 1999 (the date your home was transferred to SLH). However, you may have the Right to Acquire your home.

We can help you. Just get in touch on 0151 285 5693 and ask for a Right to Buy or Right to Acquire form. Fill the form in and hand it back into the office or return the form by recorded delivery to ensure we receive it. We recommend that you keep a copy of the form too. A decision will then be made if you have the Right to Buy or Right to Acquire.

The Government is currently looking at ways to offer the Right to Buy to all tenants and are running pilot schemes across the country. South Liverpool Homes is not taking part in this pilot scheme. If the pilot scheme is extended, we will communicate this to you as and when it happens.

Once you buy your home, you will no longer receive the services you get now from SLH such as our 24 hour repairs service, 24-hour contact centre and annual gas safety checks. You will be responsible for all the costs of maintaining your home; including routine repairs and improvements such as kitchen replacements.

It is a criminal offence to buy or acquire your home if you know that you are not eligible. This is known as fraud. We will check all applications thoroughly and will investigate anything that looks suspicious. False applications can result in eviction and prosecution.