Right to Buy and Right to Acquire

Right to Buy and Right to Acquire are two government schemes where some of our tenants can apply to buy the property they live in, at a discount. To qualify for either scheme, a certain list of criteria must be met. On this page you'll find more information about the schemes and if you are able to apply.

Do you qualify?

Right to Buy

You can only apply for the Right to Buy if:

  • You were previously a secure tenant of a local authority and your home was transferred to Hyde. This only applies if you were living in the home at the date it was transferred.

  • You have been a tenant of ours for at least three years.

  • You live in a self-contained property (no shared facilities like kitchens and bathrooms).

You might not be eligible if:

  • You are bankrupt or are being made bankrupt.

  • You live in a home considered particularly suitable for the elderly.

Right to Acquire

You can only apply for the Right to Acquire if:

  • If your home was built or acquired after 1 April 1997.

  • You have been a tenant for at least three years.

  • You live in a self-contained property (no shared facilities like kitchens and bathrooms).

You might not be eligible if:

  • You are bankrupt or are being made bankrupt.

  • You live in a Designated Rural Area or National Park.

  • You live in a home considered particularly suitable for the elderly.

The cost of home ownership

If you qualify for Right to Buy or Right to Acquire, you must then carefully consider whether you can afford the costs of being a homeowner. If you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage your home could become repossessed and your risk being made homeless. On-going costs to take into account include:

  • Mortgage repayments - these may work out higher than your current rental payments. Take a look on property website rightmove.co.uk and search for properties in your area to work out how much your home could be worth and approximate mortgage payments. 

  • Repairs and maintenance - as a homeowner you will be responsible for all repairs and maintenance to your home. Major repairs such as boiler replacements, roofing repairs and electrical issue can be costly. 

  • Service charges - if you are buying your property you will have to pay annual service charges. The amount you will pay will vary every year depending on what repairs are required. Major repair work can be costly.
  • Insurance - including buildings and contents.

  • Other costs such as council tax, utilities and other bills.

For more guidance, check out the government's handy Right to Buy calculator tool.

How do you apply?

Submitting an application for Right to Buy

First check you have met the criteria to apply for Right to buy. Secondly, consider the cost of home ownership. Mortgage payments may be more than you rent. Search your postcode on rightmove.co.uk to work out how much your home could be worth and approximate mortgage payments. 

Once you've done that you can done submit an application by downloading the documents listed below, filling them in and emailing them to us at [email protected].You must also include copies of photo ID (for instance, copies of your passport or driving licence) for each person applying.

Please download and fill in:

  1. Right to Buy application form (Word doc, 70KB) 

  2. Insolvency declarations (Word doc, 64KB) Please provide a signed copy for each person applying on this application

  3. Right to Buy mortgage reference form (Word doc, 63KB)

  4. Right to Buy application checklist (Word doc, 58KB)

Submitting an application for Right to Acquire

First check you have met the criteria to apply for Right to Acquire. Secondly, consider the cost of home ownership. Mortgage payments may be more than you rent. Search your postcode on rightmove.co.uk to work out how much your home could be worth and approximate mortgage payments. 

Once you've done that you can done submit an application by downloading the documents listed below, filling them in and emailing them to us at [email protected].You must also include copies of photo ID (for instance, copies of your passport or driving licence) for each person applying.

Please download and fill in:

  1. Right to Acquire application form (Word doc, 70KB)

  2. Insolvency declarations (Word doc, 64KB) Please provide a signed copy for each person applying on this application. 

  3. Right to Acquire tenant consent form (Word doc, 57B)

  4. Right to Acquire mortgage reference form (Word doc, 63KB)
  5. Right to Acquire application checklist (Word doc, 58KB)

Family members wishing to purchase with you

For any family member wishing to share your Right to Buy or Acquire, they will also need to provide adequate proof of residency at the property for the last 12 months. We need to see letters addressed to any applicants from a doctor, a government department or agency, your local council, or utility company.

What happens after you submit an application?

Once we've recieved your completed applications forms and supporting documents we will begin to process your application. Our first step is to check if you are eligible. The law says we have four weeks to write back to you after receiving your application form to confirm whether or not you are eligible.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing, & Communities have a dedicated team to provide impartial advice regarding the Right to Buy. You can contact them by telephone on 0300 123 0913 or by e-mail on [email protected]

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