Can you buy a council property that you don't live in?

MollyMolly_3

I own the ground floor flat and the upstairs flat is still owned by the council. I have heard the tenant maybe moving out and wondered if I had any rights to enquire about purchasing it? There are only the two flats in the building, as it was originally a house. And we would love to own the whole house. Does anyone know what the rules are for buying a council property if you don’t live in it? Or has anyone ever done this? Also do you know how they would value the upstairs flat? I would hate to miss out by not knowing the facts.

I would really appreciate any advice on this grey matter.

Richard_Webster

Unlikely they would be prepared to sell to you - they certainly don't have to.

If it is not purpose built but an odd house that the Council acquired at some point, then they might be prepared to sell - but they would then probably sell freehold of the whole building to you and the cost would be roughly the market value of the upstairs flat.

suze_g

Highly unlikely, although I imagine you don't need any rights to merely enquire about purchasing it.

They will no doubt be moving another social tenant in, as that is who they are intended for.

hearts

NO.

I own 4 flats in a block of 6. The last time one was empty I phoned asking the same thing. They laughed me off the phone ;-) Cant be done I'm affraid.

McKneff

So if you own four of the six, how did you buy the other 3

googler

He didn't buy them directly from the council, I'd wager. Original tenants bought under right to buy, then sold, and previous poster bought them at that stage?

McKneff

Doh! silly me

good thinking googler,

hearts

googler wrote: »

He didn't buy them directly from the council, I'd wager. Original tenants bought under right to buy, then sold, and previous poster bought them at that stage?

Aye quite correct. I grew up in one and bought the other 3 over the years. Nice folk in the other 2 now but you never know if they will throw some Junkie in one day so I'd like to own the 6.

carefullycautious

Im sure if they did 'throw a junkie in' you are in a better position to do something about it with the five others behind you. If I was a new tenent it would probably give me an incentive to take up my right to buy if the other properties were owned but then again how would i know that you as a landlord would turn a blind eye to a bad tenent you had in your flats. Works both ways I presume