The Preserved Right to Buy is a purchase scheme set up by the Government allowing former tenants of local authorities with a secure tenancy to buy their home. If you were a former tenant of South Lakeland District Council and had your tenancy transferred to South Lakes Housing in March 2012 you may be eligible to buy your home through the Preserved Right to Buy scheme.
If eligible, you may share your Preserved Right to Buy with other household members providing that they have lived in your home for at least the last 12 months. You can find further information by clicking the red button.
If you became a tenant of South Lakes Housing after March 2012 you may be eligible for the Right to Acquire as you would not qualify for the Preserved right to buy. You can find further information on the Right to Acquire Scheme by clicking the teal button.
Under the Preserved Right to Buy a discount is offered on the market value of the property and is calculated based on the number of years a tenancy (or tenancies) has been held with a public sector landlord. The current maximum discount is £26,000 in Cumbria.
Discounts are calculated as follows:
Houses
You get a 35% discount for between 3 and 5 years. After 5 years, the discount goes up 1% for every extra year up to the maximum discount of £26,000.
Flats and Maisonettes
You get a 50% discount for between 3 and 5 years. After 5 years, the discount goes up 2% for every extra year up to the maximum discount of £26,000.
Should you apply to buy your home, your home will be valued as a part of the application process. You may be able to find a rough estimate of valuation by looking on sites such as Rightmove or Zoopla.
How to apply
Should you wish to buy your home, fill out an application form.
You can find the application form by following this link.
To speed up correspondence please include your email address and telephone number on the application and send completed applications to:
South Lakes Housing
Bridge Mills Business Centre
Stramongate
Kendal LA9 4BD
Things to consider
It is important to note that once you begin the application process, South Lakes Housing will attend emergency repairs, while other repairs will become your responsibility.
Should you complete the purchase of your property, you will no longer be considered for rehousing by South Lakes unless your application is for sheltered housing and some applications are considered in situations of exceptional hardship.
Before applying, please carefully consider the financial implications of homeownership and whether this is something that you can afford. This will include costs such as mortgage repayments, buildings insurance and general property maintenance.
When purchasing a flat or maisonette, you will become a leaseholder of South Lakes Housing on completion of the purchase. There will be costs to consider such as annual service charges and contributions towards the maintenance of the building. More information on what it means to be a leaseholder can be found here.
Exclusions
The Preserved Right to Buy is unable to be exercised if any of the following apply:
You do not have a secure tenancy
Dwellings specifically for elderly people
Dwellings specifically for disabled people
Dwellings specifically for people suffering from a mental disorder
Right to acquire
The Right to Acquire is a purchase scheme set up by the Government allowing tenants of housing associations to buy their home.
If you became a tenant with South Lakes Housing after March 2012 and have held a tenancy with any public sector landlord for at least 3 years, you may be eligible for the Right to Acquire. If eligible, you may share your Right to Acquire with other household members providing that they have lived in your home for at least the last 12 months.
Please note that currently this purchase scheme only applies to our properties located in Kendal (including Oxenholme) and Grange-over-Sands. Properties outside of these areas are deemed, by the Government, to be in Designated Rural Areas and are unable to be sold via the Right to Acquire.
The Right to Acquire offers a set discount to the market value of the property dependent on its location. For Cumbria the current discount is £10,000. This discount is fixed regardless of the number of years a tenancy has been held for.
Should you apply to buy your home, your home will be valued as a part of the application process. You may be able to find a rough estimate of valuation by looking on sites such as Rightmove or Zoopla.
How to apply
Should you wish to buy your home, fill out an application form.
You can find the application form by following this link.
To speed up correspondence please include your email address and telephone number on the application. Please send completed applications to:
South Lakes Housing
Bridge Mills Business Centre
Stramongate
Kendal LA9 4BD
Things to consider
It is important to note that once you begin the application process, South Lakes Housing will attend emergency repairs, while other repairs will become your responsibility.
Before applying, please carefully consider the financial implications of homeownership and whether this is something that you can afford. This will include costs such as mortgage repayments, buildings insurance and general property maintenance.
When purchasing a flat or maisonette, you will become a leaseholder of South Lakes Housing on completion of the purchase. There will be costs to consider such as annual service charges and contributions towards the maintenance of the building. More information on what is means to be a leaseholder can be found here.