Glossary
Right to Buy
A scheme that lets eligible council tenants in England buy their home at a discount. The government restricted eligibility and reduced maximum discounts in 2024-26. Right to Buy does not affect your right to a housing disrepair claim.
Related terms
Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST)
The standard form of private tenancy in England since 1989. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 is phasing ASTs out and replacing them with periodic tenancies.
Defective Premises Act 1972
The Act that places a duty on whoever built or sold you a home to ensure it was built or supplied with reasonable care. Sometimes used in post-completion claims after Right to Buy.
FFHH Act (Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018)
Requires every rented home in England to be fit for human habitation at the start and throughout the tenancy. Adds direct tenant enforcement rights to the historic Section 11 duty.
Periodic tenancy
A tenancy that rolls on month-to-month (or week-to-week) with no fixed end date. From May 2026 under the Renters Rights Act, new private tenancies in England are periodic from day one.
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By: Support for Tenants editorial team
Last updated:
Reviewed against current housing law for England and Wales as at 15 June 2026. Checked by our SRA-regulated panel solicitors. This is general information, not legal advice for your specific case. Any compensation figures or ranges shown are illustrative only and not guaranteed; every case is different.