Do I have the right to buy?

gazelleboy

My housing association has charitable status but I've been here since 1988.

:think:

andy.m_2

Why not ask them directly.

gazelleboy

I've read Some PDF's online of other associations like my one. One thing is clear, that they do not like giving their houses away one bit. Not surprising really but what is surprising is the extent which they try and dodge this.

None of the 4 ha's in my area revealed this on their website - in fact two of them state clearly that tenants cannot buy their homes - I've seen RTB houses sales on the annual accounts of one of them. My ha say no-one can buy their house at a discount from us - it was their wording (vague) and it's location on the page that made me suspicious (1/3 of their about section).

I've also read advice for ha's on how to deal with this issue and that involves eviction. I don't want to risk a visit from their inspectors - I've had some minor work done (improvements) I don't want to give them any reasons. My ha hasn't sold any homes yet - It would be opening a can of worms.

I have contacted the Charity Regulator, HMRC and a housing advisor. Finding that I just keep wandering into dead ends.

Strapped

With a bit of luck, no, and the CHARITY can continue to do its CHARITABLE work :mad:

gazelleboy

Charitable work my backside - The ha tenants are the same as any tenants - It's just that it makes more sense for them to give themselves a big wage instead of profits, avoid tax and collect grants.

Running_Horse

Why don't you just ask them?

I'm not aware charities are run to sell homes below market value to a lucky few. That's not really what they are for.

gazelleboy

Running_Horse wrote: »

Why don't you just ask them?

I'm not aware charities are run to sell homes below market value to a lucky few. That's not really what they are for.

Read thread for answer to your question, my opinion on this "charity" are also in the thread. No ha's are run to sell homes below market value not sure why that even crossed your mind.:think:

squinty

You asked exactly the same question in March 2010

See - https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2341945

The advice then was to ask the HA.

Not surprisingly you are recieving the same advice again.

antrobus

gazelleboy wrote: »

Do I have the right to buy?

My housing association has charitable status but I've been here since 1988.

:think:

According to the Parliamentary Standard Note SN/SP/648: Housing association tenants: Right to Buy

Housing association tenants who entered into their tenancy agreements prior to 15 January 1989 (the date on which Part I of the 1988 Housing Act came into force) are also secure tenants. These tenants enjoy the same Right to Buy their homes as council tenants under the 1985 Act. This right does not extend to tenants of charitable housing associations.

However...

gazelleboy wrote: »

...I believe they obtained charitable status in September 2003..

Therefore a Right to Buy would have existed prior to 2003, but would have been lost when the HA became a charitable HA.

I did find this document here - http://www.spitalfieldsha.co.uk/pdf/DISPOSALS_POLICY.pdf - issued by the Spitalfields Housing Association which states;

when Spitalfields subsequently became a charitable housing association, the tenants with the existing right to buy would have lost the right to buy, (because there is no right to buy against charitable housing associations). However, it should be noted that the Housing Corporation expects any housing association which converts from non charitable to charitable status to offer a contractual right to buy on the same terms as the statutory right to buy to all those tenants who previously enjoyed the right to buy, in order to ensure that their rights are protected.

Whether one can place any reliance on an expectation by the Housing Corporation is something else, particularly as it doesn't exist any more.

gazelleboy

Thanks Antrobus