buying a property from housing association

besimali

Hi guys,

I am a tenant with housing associations around 20years now and two years ago I was given a valuation to buy the property but it was outside my budget. I have now resubmitted my application and just been told out that the property is not up for sale due to: Your property must either have been: built or bought by a housing association after 31 March 1997 (and funded through a social housing grant provided by the Housing Corporation or local council)

I was wondering is there a law where Housing Association could be forced to sell the property?  I am not after any particular discount just that I have maintained this property very well and I am in position to buy it now.

My tenancy  type is: assured tenancy

Housing Association: Together Housing

many thanks for your advice.

T.T.D

You cannot force a sale by being given an offer to purchase, it could wholeheartedly be that everyone in the housing stock that are 15years plus old, was sent blanket letters of the opportunities to buy, then only do the proper check for eligibility to purchase when an offer is taken up, it maybe you fell through the net the first time round but upon deeper inspection found out you weren’t. 

Freedom of information act to the HA could determine their refusal claims, by requesting the build information and funding information council or Grant etc. 

Or land registry?

besimali

thanks, how would I request this info? via Housing Association or do I need some lawyer?

sheramber

 Was it offered under this pilot scheme , which is now finished

https://huutimoney.com/right-to-buy-housing-association/

Right to buy housing association

The Government successfully ran a pilot which offered housing association tenants the right to buy their housing association homes. Right to buy was previously reserved only for council tenants. The Right to buy scheme for housing association tenants will now hopefully be available to housing association tenants in 2020.

T.T.D

besimali said:

thanks, how would I request this info? via Housing Association or do I need some lawyer?

Freedom of information requests can be done simply by email or phoning the HA and asking for this information although better done via email to their customer services.

As highlighted though, was this offer 2 years afforded to you through a pilot scheme, has this scheme been adopted by your housing association?

HA tend not to set a president by selling stock especially in areas demand/high value.  

FtbDreaming

I think it depends on when the HA bought the housing off the council. I bought mine in august off HA but my uncle is with a different one and been in his house longer and they aren’t able to buy. Either continue renting or cut your losses and look for a property on the open market. 

besimali

sheramber said:

 Was it offered under this pilot scheme , which is now finished

Hi, not it was offered under Right to Acquire scheme, but now they are saying the agent initially made a mistake hence the offer was presented to us. I don't know whether they were telling the truth then or now.

FtbDreaming

If you’re house is available to buy then you should be using the preserved right to buy rather than the right to acquire. Just fill in that form and send it to them

besimali

preserved right to buy is only for council Tenant, wheres I am on assured tenancy. As far as I knew all housing association properties are up for sale.

Caz3121

besimali said:

sheramber said:

 Was it offered under this pilot scheme , which is now finished

Hi, not it was offered under Right to Acquire scheme, but now they are saying the agent initially made a mistake hence the offer was presented to us. I don't know whether they were telling the truth then or now.

https://www.gov.uk/right-to-acquire-buying-housing-association-home

Eligible properties

Your property must either have been:

• built or bought by a housing association after 31 March 1997 (and funded through a social housing grant provided by the Housing Corporation or local council)
• transferred from a local council to a housing association after 31 March 1997

besimali

yea that's what I was told today, but didn't know that HA can refuse to sell the property even without discount due to above reasons, I'm not after any discount, basically I just spend loads on repairs thinking I will be eligible to buy it and only to find out that's not for sale.