Right to Buy Scheme Rip off?

ST4000

My partner and I live in a nice council house in the Norfolk area with our 2 children (3 & 12 years).

Recently the council sent a building contractor to survey all the council houses in our area to carry out maintenance and repairs to their properties.

A number of repairs were listed including a new back fence, PVC window latch repairs, a broken concrete path and numerous others. I'm estimating around £1500 worth.

Just after the survey was completed on our property, we decided to apply for the right to buy scheme. We have only enquired about the price for the property. We have not signed anything or entered into any legal agreements (have we?).

The council have refused to carry out any repairs to our property because of this application. All the other houses in the area have scaffold erected up them, so the repairs are in progress.

They say I must withdraw the right to buy application, get the work done, then re-apply. To me this sounds like a stupid waste of time. What if house prices change during the period of repair?

Surely if I pay rent (We receive very little benefits and I work full time) then I am entitled to have the property repaired up to a satisfactory level?

I'm not being petty, I just feel that we are being ripped off by a mean council when we want to buy our first house together as a family.

Thanks in advance,

ST

lincroft1710

If you went ahead and purchased the house, the council would have carried out repairs to your property, councils do not maintain private property free of charge. This would be deemed a waste of their resources.

I agree it seems a bit harsh, but if you want to become a homeowner, maintenance costs, there are some definite advantages in being a secure council tenant.

Gorgeous_George

You may find that a new application made after the repairs have been carried out would include 100% of the cost of repairs - in addition to the discounted cost of your home.

It is likely that the price will fall anyway so I'd withdraw my request, have the works done and then apply to buy.

GG

ST4000

lincroft1710 wrote: »

If you went ahead and purchased the house, the council would have carried out repairs to your property, councils do not maintain private property free of charge. This would be deemed a waste of their resources.

I agree it seems a bit harsh, but if you want to become a homeowner, maintenance costs, there are some definite advantages in being a secure council tenant.

To clarify-

At present, the property is owned by them. It will not be mine until I sign the contract at least 12 weeks from now. I can pull out at any time.

All I have done is enquired about the value of the property.

If I stopped paying rent they would say I am in breach of the tennancy agreement. So, in that respect, we are still in a mutual agreement. I pay rent, they look after property until the day I sign, surely?

McKneff

I sympathise and i can see your logic, but its normal practice I'm afraid.

Theres no middle ground, you have to go ahead and not have the repairs done and buy the house.

Or cancel your interest and wait till the repairs are done. then re-apply

Running_Horse

Sounds fair enough to me.

prowla

Just jump through the hoop.

00ec25

can you not see their point of view?
Why should taxpayers fund repairs to a property which they will no longer own IF you go ahead with your purchase. I agree that the council could just as easily include the cost of those repairs into the value of the property when sorting out the terms of the RTB but all the same why should they waste time and effort in the middle of a recession when money is tight and time is better spent on other things
I am sorry but to me its you who is trying to rip off the taxpayer by getting the repairs done before you buy, thankfully that ruse has been seen through long ago, hence the current system, enquire about RTB and all works are suspended

BitterAndTwisted

This is why reading the small-print is always necessary. This is not a new clause, it's been standard operating procedure ever since the RTB legislation was passed.

A philosophical person might think that 1500 quid's worth of repairs could be seen as small beer compared to what costs might be in the future as a freeholder, offset against the discounted rent a tenant will have been enjoying ever since the tenancy began and the discount obtained on the purchase price. Some people just want their ruddy cake and eat it

McKneff

Personally, i would go ahead with the sale enquiry and do the repairs afterwards, if your sayig aball park figure of £1500 you could probably do most f the repairs yourself and save a packet

pinkshoes

Why don't you ask for a contract saying that they should go ahead with the repair work, and if you do buy the property in the next year, you will pay them back the £1500 that they spent on repairs?

The tax payer shouldn't have to foot the bill if the house is potentially going to be bought!