The council sometimes buys back homes they previously sold under the Right to Buy scheme or other housing schemes
Shared ownership homes
If you own part of a shared ownership home and want to sell, you must first offer to sell your share to the council before you can sell it on the open market.
This does not apply if you have bought 100% of the property.
Regeneration schemes
Housing improvement regeneration projects make homes and neighbourhoods better places to live. Sometimes old buildings need to be demolished to make way for new ones.
If you own a council flat and your building is going to be demolished, the council will buy your property through their Buy Back program.
Housing help if you are struggling
If you cannot afford to keep your home and want to return to council housing, the council might be able to buy your property back.
This only applies if you bought your home directly from the council through Right to Buy.
The council will pay the same price you originally paid, not the current market value. This depends on whether the council has money available to do this.
Right to Buy scheme
If you bought your council home through Right to Buy and want to sell it within the first 10 years, you must first offer it back to the council. This is called the right of first refusal.
The council has the right to buy it back, or they can put forward another buyer. This rule only applies if you bought your home after 18 January 2005.