Who has the Right to Buy?

You probably have the right to buy your home if:

• you are a secure tenant of Newcastle City Council
• you are a secure tenant of another council
• you have been living in armed forces accommodation
• the house, flat or maisonette that you wish to buy is your only or main home.

Tenancies starting before 18 January 2005

If your secure tenancy started before 18 January 2005 or you were a public sector tenant before this date, you only
need two years secure tenancy to qualify for the Right to Buy.  These tenancies must be continuous.

If you have had previous tenancies before 18 January 2005 but there has been a break in your tenancies, you must
wait five years to qualify for the Right to Buy.

Tenancies starting on or after 18 January 2005

If you take up a new tenancy on or after 18 January 2005 and you have no previous tenancies with any other public
sector landlord, you will have to wait for five years before you can apply to buy your home.

Introductory tenancies

Only secure tenants can buy their home.  If you are an introductory tenant and there have been no problems with your tenancy and you have not broken any of your tenancy conditions your tenancy will be made secure automatically.  You will then have the Right to Buy your home, and then the above timescales apply.

The Right to Buy does not apply when:

• your home is sheltered housing for the elderly, physically disabled or mentally ill
• your home is particularly suitable for the elderly and it was first let before 1st January 1990 to be lived in by someone aged 60 or over
• your home is being used as temporary accommodation until the Council redevelops it
• you live in a house provided by the Council so that you can be near your place of work.