Anyone who has been a public sector tenant for more than three years and is a secure council tenant currently can apply for free to buy the home they live in. If your Right to Buy is confirmed, you are likely to receive a discount which will reduce the market value of your council home.
Leasehold
If your home is a flat or maisonette, you can buy the leasehold from the council for a period of 125 years. You and the council then have rights and obligations relating to the property and each other for the period of the lease.
Freehold
Usually, if your home is a house, you can buy the freehold of the property from the council. This means you become the outright owner of your house and the land it is on. If your home is on a council estate you may have to pay a share of the cost of maintaining and improving the communal areas on the estate.