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Right to Buy
- Can you tell me how much my property is worth?
No. In order to give you a fair and accurate valuation, you must have an inspection performed by the Council's valuation contractor. If you want to get an idea of what the valuation might be, look in the local property paper for similar properties.
- How long will it be, once the application has been received, before the valuer does their inspection?
You will be advised by the Right to Buy team within 2 weeks if your application has been accepted. At the same time, we instruct the Council's valuation contractor to contact you and arrange an inspection.
- Do I have to pay for the valuation?
No, the valuation is paid for by the Council.
- How soon will I receive my valuation?
The statutory time we are given to send your offer to you is 8 weeks for a house and 12 weeks for a flat. This is from the date that we accepted your right to buy. However, we aim to send your offer letter within 6 weeks and 10 weeks respectively.
- Can I include previous tenancies even if they were with a Housing Association?
Yes, you can include all previous tenancies that were held with a public sector landlord (i.e. not a private rental).
- Can my son/daughter join in the purchase, even if they do not live with me?
The Council may be prepared to let you share the right to buy with family members who do not live with you. However, this would be a voluntary sale where the terms and conditions are slightly different to the right to buy. Each case is reviewed on an individual basis.
- Why don't I get 70% discount?
Although your discount is calculated as a percentage, based on the number of year's tenancy you have accrued, it is limited to a maximum monetary value of £16,000 for anyone living in London or the South-East.
- Can I sell my property before the end of five years.
Yes, but you will incur a penalty for doing so. You will have to repay all, or some, of your discount (calculated on a sliding scale), depending on how soon you sell and how much you sell for.
- I do not have 5 years tenancy am I allowed to buy?
If you do not have the full 5 years tenancy but have passed your probation period, the Council may be prepared to sell your property to you as a voluntary sale. The terms and conditions of a voluntary sale are slightly different to the Right to Buy.
Shared Ownership Nominations Scheme (SONS - sometimes called New Build Homebuy)
- How long will it take for me to be nominated for a property?
It depends on your household income. The housing associations have variable income thresholds for each property, as long as you meet the minimum amount they have specified for a particular property, then your name will be put forward.
- What percentage of the property do I have to buy?
Once again the housing associations have variable shares available on each property. The most common percentage offered for sale is 50%. However, sometimes shares of 25% or 75% are available. The Housing Association will calculate the share that you can afford to buy, based on their financial appraisal.
- How does priority on SONS work?
The table below explains how we prioritise applicants for SONS.
Category of applicants
- Priority 1 - Wandsworth Council tenants with a recognised medical need or living in overcrowded conditions and having a minimum of 150 points in the transfer queue, or are decants, essential repair cases, tenants under occupying and homeless persons.
- Priority 2 - All other Wandsworth Council tenants and tenants of Housing Associations currently occupying property within the Borough.
- Priority 3 - First-time buyers who currently live within the Borough . Applicants in this category must pass a financial appraisal.
Note - If more than one applicant from the same priority group applies for a property the applicant with the earliest registration date under the scheme will take precedence.
- Why is the Council running this scheme now rather than the Housing Associations?
The Council has always had nomination rights to this scheme, however, due to the significant increase in the number of properties being offered for sale on a shared ownership basis, the Council is now taking a more active role in the management of the scheme. Previously the housing associations had more autonomy in choosing who they offered properties to; the aim now is to bring SONS in line with the other voluntary sales schemes run by the Council.
Purchasing the Freehold
House Purchase Grant (HPG)
- I have a one bedroom property, am I eligible for this scheme?
All tenants with more than 2 years tenancy are eligible for the scheme.
- How many House Purchase Grants are available?
The number of grants available for the year is limited to the budget set aside for the scheme. Once all of the money for the year has been allocated, then no further applications will be accepted that year.
- I have received an offer of a house purchase grant but the purchase has fallen through. Can I find another property to use the grant towards?
The offer of a grant is limited to a named property and if the sale should fall through, or if you do not manage to exchange contracts within 3 months of the offer, the grant will be withdrawn and offered to another applicant.
Open Market Homebuy (OMH)
- Once I have registered with you for a Homebuy loan, can I go and find a property?
No, you will also need to register with Tower Homes, who will then give you permission to start looking for a property. Leaseholders
- I need a copy of my lease, can I get a copy from the Council?
Yes, you need to send a written request along with a cheque for £20, payable to Wandsworth Council, to the following address:
The Deeds Clerk
Room 53
The Town Hall
Wandsworth High Street
London
SW18 2PU
You can apply online for your lease |
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