The government has significantly changed Right to Buy in England, reducing discounts and extending the qualifying period. Here is what the changes mean for council tenants and how disrepair rights are unaffected.
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Direct answer
The government made significant changes to the Right to Buy scheme in England in 2025 and 2026, including extending the time you must wait before you can apply and reducing the maximum discount available. These changes affect council tenants who were planning to buy their home under the scheme. They do not affect your right to live in your home, your right to a safe and well-maintained property, or your right to claim compensation if your landlord has failed on repairs.
What Right to Buy is
Right to Buy is a scheme that gives eligible council tenants in England the right to purchase their home at a discount below market value. It has existed since the 1980s and has allowed around two million households to buy their council homes.
The size of the discount depends on:
- How long you have been a secure tenant
- Whether the property is a flat or a house
- The market value of the property
Until recently, the maximum discount was set at relatively high levels, making the scheme attractive in areas where property values were moderate relative to the discount ceiling.
What changed and when
The government announced changes to Right to Buy that came into effect from late 2024 and into 2025 and 2026. The main changes are:
The minimum qualifying period has increased from three years to ten years. Previously, you needed to be a secure council tenant for three years before you could apply. The new minimum is ten years. This change affects all tenants who had not already qualified. If you had been a tenant for fewer than ten years and were counting on buying in the near future, you will now need to wait significantly longer.
The maximum discount has been reduced. The government reduced the maximum cash discount available under the scheme. The precise caps vary by region but the overall effect is that the financial benefit of buying under Right to Buy is smaller than it was at the scheme's peak.
The stated reason for both changes is the loss of social housing stock. Every council home sold under Right to Buy reduces the pool of affordable rented accommodation available to people on housing waiting lists. Despite a requirement to replace sold homes, the replacement rate has historically fallen well short of the number sold. The government's position is that the scheme, in its previous form, was accelerating the depletion of social housing at a time when demand is at record levels.
What this means for council tenants who were planning to buy
If you were planning to apply for Right to Buy and you have been a tenant for fewer than ten years, your application will not be eligible until you reach the ten-year threshold.
If you were planning to rely on a large discount to make the purchase affordable, you should check the current discount caps for your area before making any financial decisions. The reduction in the maximum discount means that properties which were within reach under the previous figures may no longer be, depending on local market values.
It is worth taking independent financial advice from a mortgage broker or independent financial adviser before making any decisions. The right to buy and the right to a mortgage are separate things, and eligibility for the scheme does not guarantee you will be able to borrow enough to complete the purchase.
Whether Right to Buy is being abolished
Right to Buy has not been abolished in England. Tenants who meet the qualifying period and other eligibility criteria still have the legal right to apply. The scheme continues, it has simply become less generous. It is worth checking whether you meet the qualifying criteria before assuming you are not eligible.
Right to Buy has been abolished in Wales and significantly restricted in Scotland, where separate policies apply.
How disrepair claims interact with Right to Buy
If your home is in disrepair and you are also considering a Right to Buy application, it is important to understand that these are two completely separate legal processes.
A disrepair claim does not prevent you from applying for Right to Buy. If your landlord has failed to carry out repairs and you bring a claim for compensation, that claim does not affect your tenancy status or your eligibility to buy.
A Right to Buy application does not reduce your landlord's obligations. The fact that you have applied to buy your home does not mean your landlord can delay maintenance or ignore repair requests. Your landlord's duties under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and the Defective Premises Act 1972 continue throughout the Right to Buy process.
The two processes are legally independent. You could, in principle, be pursuing a disrepair claim for compensation at the same time as your Right to Buy application is progressing. The outcome of one does not determine the outcome of the other.
The condition of the property is relevant to the purchase price under Right to Buy. If your home has significant disrepair, that may be a factor in the valuation for the purposes of the sale. This is a separate matter from a compensation claim.
Your rights as a council tenant regardless of Right to Buy
The changes to Right to Buy do not affect your fundamental rights as a secure council tenant:
- Your landlord must keep the structure and exterior of your home in repair under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985.
- Your landlord must ensure your home does not contain hazards that affect health and safety under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System.
- Your landlord must comply with Awaab's Law obligations on damp and mould where applicable.
- You have the right to use the landlord's formal complaints procedure and, where that fails, to take your complaint to the Housing Ombudsman.
- You have the right to bring a disrepair claim in court if your landlord has failed on repairs and you have suffered loss or damage as a result.
None of these rights are affected by whether you have been a tenant for three years or fifteen years, and none of them depend on your interest, or lack of interest, in buying your home.
What to do if your home is in disrepair
If your council home has repair problems that your landlord has not addressed, the Right to Buy changes are not the story you need to focus on. Your more immediate legal route is a disrepair claim or a Housing Ombudsman complaint.
We assess cases for free and will tell you honestly whether your situation supports a claim. You do not pay anything upfront. No upfront cost. You only pay if you win, and the fee comes out of the compensation, not your pocket. If you don't win, you pay nothing.
Start a free claim check | Free call: 0800 030 4669
Sources: Government announcement on Right to Buy reform, GOV.UK.
Support For Tenants is a trading name of Cyntex Group Ltd, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority as a Claims Management Company. FRN 1020217. Registered in England and Wales.
Reviewed against current housing law for England and Wales as at 29 May 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.
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