Buying your home

The Right to Buy scheme is your right to buy your council home at a discount.

Before applying for the Right to Buy, please take time to read through all the information to get to know the steps you need to take and the responsibilities of owning your own home.

For more information about the scheme, visit the government's Right to Buy website, Right to Buy summary booklet and read the guidance documents

How to apply

  • Apply online to buy your council home or complete the Right to Buy application form (RTB1 Form), scan it and send by email to homeownership@ealing.gov.uk 
  • After you apply, we must tell you within 28 days if you have the Right to Buy (or 56 days if your previous tenancy was with another landlord). If you do have the Right to Buy, we must tell you the price (offer of sale) within a further eight weeks if your home is a house, or 12 weeks if it is a flat.
  • If your home is a flat, then we will tell you about the annual service charges you will need to pay and any major works that are planned over the next five years.
  • If you are happy with the price then you must complete a form telling us that you wish to accept the offer made. We will then prepare plans for the property and other legal documents for your solicitors. This will take up to two months, depending on whether your home is a house or flat on registered or unregistered land.
  • Your solicitor must sort out all legal formalities with the council solicitors before completion of the sale can take place.

Discount

The maximum discount in Ealing is £127,940.

  • For houses, the discount is 35% of the market value plus 1% for each year beyond the qualifying period of five years, up to a maximum of 70%.
  • For flats, the discount is 50% of the market value plus 2% for each year beyond the qualifying period of five years, up to a maximum of 70%.

Identification, data protection and fraud prevention

In order to verify your identity and validate your Right to Buy, please send a copy of the passport or driving licence for each applicant. The information you give us will be treated in confidence and in line with the Data Protection Act 2018. It may be used internally for the prevention of fraud and other registered purposes. All registrations can be viewed at Ealing Town Hall or at the main borough libraries.

Repairs to your property

If your application for the Right to Buy is successful, the council will stop doing any repairs and maintenance to your property unless they are needed for health and safety reasons. This is because the valuation of your property needs to reflect the current condition of your property. As a homeowner you will be responsible for all repairs to your home.