pre assignment pack for Right to buy transaction

Tamii

I'm a council tenant who is in the process of buying my council flat. The case has been dragging as my solicitor requested a pre-assignment pack from the council but the council said that they don't normally provide it to Right to buy buyers.
I did my research and it looks like the pre-assignment pack is needed if you want to sell your property. I asked my solicitor if I really needed this document, she said it was important.
Who is right?

Cakeguts

You aren't going to sell it are you so you don't need it? I mean if you thought you were going to sell this flat you wouldn't be buying it now would you? The council is correct. You are buying your council flat so that you can have the advantage of owning the property that you are going to live in for the rest of your life not so that you can sell it after 5 years for a profit. The whole point of right to buy is so that you can own your flat rather than rent it. It isn't so that people can sell at a profit and move out after so many years. If you don't think you will be staying there for the rest of your life you really shouldn't buy it you should continue to rent and then when you are ready to move leave the flat for someone else who has nowhere to live and buy a private flat on the open market.

seven-day-weekend

I think the OP would like their question answered, not a lecture.

I'm sorry OP,I don't know the answer.

TheGardener

I understood the OP to be asking if the Council need to have a pre-assignment pack so the OP can buy the property - not sell it. Really cakeguts, I think that is a rather unrealistic view...don't buy a council property unless you intend to live there for ever and ever? really?!

seven-day-weekend

Maybe this will help?

https://www.camden.gov.uk/ccm/content/housing/council-tenants-and-leaseholders/homeownership/selling-or-re-mortgaging-your-home/

Cakeguts

TheGardener wrote: »

I understood the OP to be asking if the Council need to have a pre-assignment pack so the OP can buy the property - not sell it. Really cakeguts, I think that is a rather unrealistic view...don't buy a council property unless you intend to live there for ever and ever? really?!

It might be unrealistic but if you rent a council property you don't move unless you do a property exchange or leave social housing. So I would hope that if someone was thinking of buying they were not also thinking of moving.

TheGardener

Cakeguts wrote: »

So I would hope that if someone was thinking of buying they were not also thinking of moving.

There was no suggestion in the OP's post whatsoever that they were planning to sell the property on - only a question about taking up their right to buy it.

There isn't a political policy in the UK that someone somewhere doesn't like - the hostility should be aimed at the government in an attempt to change the policy - not browbeat/scapegoat the individuals exercising their legal right to do something.

Richard_Webster

I fyou were buying an ex council flat from a RTB buyer you want to know about the level of service charge, whether it had been paid, about insurance of the flat and about likely future works that the Council was contemplating.

So it wouldn't be unreasonable for an original RTB buyer to ask for similar information. Perhaos that's what the solicitors were seeking.

Tamii

Im not thinking about about selling, I'm buying my council flat so in the future my kids can benefit from it.The mortgage process started in May and still dragging on, I'm losing money - instead of the mortgage I'm paying rent.
If, say, after 10-15 years, I decide to sell it, then I guess I will need the pre-assignment pack. But why would the solicitor want it now?
I wanted to find out if anyone has had a similar situation.
I asked my solicitor, she said it was important for me to have it, nothing else. I'll try to contact her again. I just don't have time for this working full time.

Tamii

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Maybe this will help?

https://www.camden.gov.uk/ccm/content/housing/council-tenants-and-leaseholders/homeownership/selling-or-re-mortgaging-your-home/

thank you.
This is what I found out myself searching the internet. That's why I don't get why my solicitor wants this document from the council.
All i want is to complete the mortgage process.

davidmcn

Tamii wrote: »

But why would the solicitor want it now?

For the reasons explained by Richard above.

The problem is that landlords will tend to do no more than they are strictly required to by the legislation - if they say no then you are probably stuck with that. The main risk is if they are just about to carry out something like expensive common refurbishment works - you might have a reasonable idea of whether that's likely.