Right to Buy & Rent to Buy: Schemes for Tenants (2026)

If you rent your home from a council or housing association, or you are stuck renting privately while trying to save, there are schemes designed specifically to help you buy. The two people most often confuse are Right to Buy (which lets eligible council tenants buy their existing home at a discount) and Rent to Buy (which lets renters live in a new-build at a reduced rent while they save a deposit). In short: Right to Buy rewards long-standing social tenants with a discount off their home's value, while Rent to Buy gives future buyers breathing room to save. This guide explains who qualifies, what changed in 2024, and how to apply.

The right to buy and rent to buy routes are completely separate schemes with different rules, providers and outcomes — one is about buying the home you already live in, the other about saving while you rent. Read on to see which, if either, fits your situation.

Right to Buy: buying your council home at a discount

Right to Buy is a long-running government scheme in England that gives most secure council tenants the legal right to buy the home they rent, at a discount off its market value. The discount grows the longer you have been a public-sector tenant, so tenants of many years typically qualify for the largest reductions. You still need a deposit and a mortgage for the balance, but the discount effectively acts as instant equity in the property from day one.

The rules changed materially in 2024. The government reduced the maximum cash discounts available under Right to Buy, and the caps now vary by region rather than sitting at a single national figure. Because the exact maximum depends on where you live and can be adjusted over time, always check the current figure for your area on GOV.UK before you rely on it. The principle is unchanged — longer tenancy means a bigger discount — but the ceiling on that discount is lower than it was before the 2024 changes.

Am I eligible for Right to Buy?

Eligibility for Right to Buy in England generally rests on a few core conditions. You must be a secure council tenant, the property must be your only or main home, and it must be self-contained. You also need a qualifying period as a public-sector tenant — time spent as a council or housing-association tenant, or in the armed forces accommodation, usually counts towards it. Some homes are excluded, such as sheltered housing for older or disabled people, and properties due for demolition.

• You are a secure council tenant and the home is your only or main residence
• You have completed the qualifying public-sector tenancy period (often several years)
• The property is self-contained, not sheltered or specialist accommodation
• You can fund the discounted balance with a deposit and a mortgage
• You understand you may repay some discount if you sell within the early years

Right to Acquire: the housing-association version

If you rent from a housing association rather than a council, you may instead qualify for Right to Acquire. It works on the same principle — a discount off the price of the home you already rent — but the discounts are smaller and paid as fixed regional amounts rather than a percentage that climbs with tenancy length. Your home usually needs to have been built or bought by a housing association after a set date, or transferred from a council, and be funded with public money. Not every housing-association property qualifies, so ask your landlord to confirm.

How to apply for Right to Buy or Right to Acquire

You start by completing the application form (RTB1 for Right to Buy) and sending it to your landlord — the council or housing association. They must respond within set timescales confirming whether you have the right and, if so, offering a price based on an independent valuation minus your discount. You then arrange a survey, a mortgage and a conveyancer, exactly as any buyer would. Because you are buying a home you know well, be honest about its condition and future repair costs before committing — the discount does not cover a failing roof.

Rent to Buy: save for a deposit while you rent

Rent to Buy is aimed at renters who cannot yet afford to buy but want to. Under the scheme you rent a newly built home at a reduced rent — typically around 80% of the local market rate — for a set period. The intention is that the money you save on rent each month goes towards a deposit, and at the end of the term you have the option, or priority, to buy the home (often through outright purchase or shared ownership). It is a stepping stone rather than an instant purchase.

Availability is patchy. Rent to Buy is offered by housing associations in some regions of England but not everywhere, and demand often outstrips supply. Scotland and Wales run their own distinct schemes with different names and rules, so a scheme you read about for England may not exist where you live. Check with local housing associations and your local authority to find out what is genuinely on offer in your area rather than assuming national availability.

Right to Buy vs Rent to Buy: which suits you?

The two schemes answer different questions. If you already rent a council or housing-association home and have done so for years, Right to Buy (or Right to Acquire) could turn that tenancy into ownership at a discount. If you rent privately, or you are a newer social tenant without a qualifying period, Rent to Buy — where available — gives you a structured way to save. Neither removes the need for a deposit and mortgage entirely; they simply lower the barrier.

• Right to Buy — for long-standing secure council tenants; buy your current home; discount rises with tenancy but caps were reduced in 2024 and vary by region
• Right to Acquire — for eligible housing-association tenants; smaller fixed regional discount on your current home
• Rent to Buy — for renters saving towards a first home; ~80% market rent on a new build for a period, then an option or priority to buy; regional availability only
• All three still require a mortgage and deposit for the amount not covered by any discount

“A discount is not a substitute for due diligence. Whether you buy your council flat under Right to Buy or a new build after Rent to Buy, get a proper survey and a realistic view of ongoing costs before you sign.”

Pros and cons to weigh up

Right to Buy's obvious attraction is instant equity from the discount, but there are trade-offs: you take on repair and maintenance costs you never had as a tenant, buildings insurance, and, for flats, service charges. If you sell within the early years you may have to repay part of the discount. Rent to Buy's strength is the enforced saving and the security of a new-build home, but reduced rent still means you are renting — you own nothing until you complete a purchase, and there is no guarantee prices will not rise before you do. Both reward patience and honest budgeting over wishful thinking.

This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or legal advice. Scheme eligibility, discount caps and regional availability change and vary by circumstance — always confirm current rules on GOV.UK and speak to a qualified mortgage adviser or conveyancer before making decisions.