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Right to Buy Process - Regulatory body?

I applied for the RTB in February 2016 and have a completion date of Monday 22nd May - 15 months later.

I have submitted all required documents in a timely manner but there has been a catalogue of delays with the council.

I received an email yesterday saying that I owe the council money on a previous rent account due to an overpayment of housing benefit. (>£4k) which they have payed to themselves at the same time I was paying rent, plus another £1.7k for something else that I don't recognise, and they want that paying on completion (on Monday).

The problem I have is that it is unlikely to be resolved in the 2 working days that are left and I am going to struggle to find that money at such short notice.

The council have said that no extension will be granted and if the sale is not completed on that date, I will need to reapply.

This seems grossly unfair considering the length of time it has taken for them to process the application and then with days to go, making a random request for money without explanation.

Is there a regulatory body who oversee the RTB process and would I have recourse to compensation if it doesn't complete, as they have taken an unreasonable amount of time and I have, of course, been paying rent for the extended period?

Any advice would be very gratefully received!

Thanks in advance
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Comments

  • davidmcn
    davidmcn Posts: 23,596
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    You really need to clarify what it is they're asking for first - the fact you "don't recognise" the £1.7k doesn't mean it's not due, and it is reasonable for them to expect all outstanding sums to be paid at completion.
    I doubt you'd get any compensation merely because you end up renting for a longer period than you intended.
  • IAmWales
    IAmWales Posts: 2,024 Forumite
    Do you agree that you owe the £4K? What do they state the other amount is for?

    The authority has a duty to protect the public purse. I'm sure you would think it grossly unfair for someone to be offered a large discount when they are already in debt to the authority?
  • luvleighr
    luvleighr Posts: 18 Forumite
    Thank you Davidmcn & IAmWales. I agree with both your points about settling monies due & protecting the public purse...absolutely.

    I have a rent statement showing the £4k as credit in my previous rent account; as I said, they have paid it to themselves so no, I don't owe it.

    The £1.7k states 'rent account' - I'm not being flippant in saying I don't recognise what it's for...I will clearly need to clarify & have my conveyancer looking into that today. But time is ticking away and I'm concerned that I won't have time to deal with these issues before the completion date.
  • luvleighr
    luvleighr Posts: 18 Forumite
    davidmcn wrote: »
    You really need to clarify what it is they're asking for first - the fact you "don't recognise" the £1.7k doesn't mean it's not due, and it is reasonable for them to expect all outstanding sums to be paid at completion.
    I doubt you'd get any compensation merely because you end up renting for a longer period than you intended.

    ...and the compensation question was in respect of the unreasonable and unnecessary length of time taken to finalise. Thanks :)
  • aneary
    aneary Posts: 921 Forumite
    Can you not ask for a break down or call and ask what 'Rent account' means?
  • davidmcn
    davidmcn Posts: 23,596
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    luvleighr wrote: »
    ...and the compensation question was in respect of the unreasonable and unnecessary length of time taken to finalise.
    But what's your loss?
  • luvleighr
    luvleighr Posts: 18 Forumite
    Aneary, thank you. My conveyancer has emailed a letter to the local authority this morning requesting an explanation.

    Davidmcm, thank you. My losses are the months of rent I have had to pay beyond the reasonable amount of time it should take to complete the process. Do you think 15 months is acceptable when there have been no exceptional circumstances or delays in providing information requested? I knew it would take some months but 15 is more than I, or anybody else I've spoken to expected it would take. I'd appreciate your comments.
  • davidmcn
    davidmcn Posts: 23,596
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    luvleighr wrote: »
    My losses are the months of rent I have had to pay beyond the reasonable amount of time it should take to complete the process.
    But that isn't a loss. You've had occupation of the property in exchange for the rent, as well as the council still having all of their obligations as landlord for repairs etc. And when your rent stops, your mortgage payments start (and/or the loss of interest on the cash you're paying for the price).

    And when was the price decided? What's happened to property values since then?
  • luvleighr
    luvleighr Posts: 18 Forumite
    davidmcn wrote: »
    But that isn't a loss. You've had occupation of the property in exchange for the rent, as well as the council still having all of their obligations as landlord for repairs etc. And when your rent stops, your mortgage payments start (and/or the loss of interest on the cash you're paying for the price).

    And when was the price decided? What's happened to property values since then?


    The government clearly do think it's a loss as I've just read. If the council don't make 'reasonable progress' toward completing the sale, the cost of rent paid beyond that reasonable time, can be taken off the sale price.
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