Council stalling in right to buy application?

Eveyahoo

A right to buy application was handed into the council around 6 days ago. Today the council has said "the application is incomplete", although the governments RTB1 form was completed fully. They suggest they are no longer looking at the application until we supply further information and if this information is not supplied in 10 days the application will be withdrawn. The information they are asking for includes photo ID of the applicants, evidence of bank statements if it is self funded, a decision in principle if a mortgage is to be used, details of people who are gifting money to the applicant and their personal bank statements also. Is this normal? All the information from the government on right to buy and the RTB1 form states "your landlord has up to 4 weeks from receipt of your application to reply confirming whether you have the Right to Buy". Do the council have a right to this information? Is this stalling and feet dragging on the application? I don't know if they should be threatened with a RTB6 form after 4 weeks for delaying. Any information would be much appreciated please. 

theartfullodger

Any reason you are uncomfortable about supplying such information, please?  

Chandler85

To process your application then want the extra information, presumably you would be providing most of this further down the line anyway.  Especially the photo IDs as that effects the eligibility later, you could be pretending to be someone else.

So you could wait 4 weeks, then serve another form and be back at the start again, and they'll probably tell you again that you need to provide a myriad of bits of information.  Or you could supply the information required now and get the ball rolling, you choose.

The only bit that is even a little bit wrong is their 10 day warning.

The form is step one of a long process, if you want to exercise your right to buy then I suspect it will be easier to get onboard with the process.  If you want to start the RTB process with a fight then that is naturally your choice, though I suspect it will be slower for you (I mean you lose almost 28 days on step one!).

If they send you a letter on day 27, saying you have the right to buy, please provide all these documents, they have complied anyway and you've lost time.  If they reply, saying yes you have a right to buy after you send a RTB6 after the 28 days, then you've still lost time...

dimbo61

This is the usual line from the council and other government agencies.
You must reply within 10 working days but we can take months to get back to you.
They have to make sure this is not fraud and you have " The Right To Buy " in the first instance.
Proof you have paid the rent, that you are the Legal tenant with the council/housing association for X years and what discount you are entitled to.
Name of lender , solicitor etc.
All pretty standard stuff

LHCalc123

https://www.ownyourhome.gov.uk/scheme/right-to-buy/faqs/

Look under section 8 of this page. It states there - 

"...There is nothing in law that specifies how a Right to Buy purchase should be financed...".

Why they are asking for all that information before even a RTB2 has been issued I don't know.

thesouthernnortherner

That does seem a bit over-the-top, although you will have to provide all those things further down the line. They are probably trying to put people off, both to retain stock, but also to stop 'spectulative' applications (amazing how many people apply on a whim without really thinking about it)

LHCalc123 said:

https://www.ownyourhome.gov.uk/scheme/right-to-buy/faqs/

Look under section 8 of this page. It states there - 

"...There is nothing in law that specifies how a Right to Buy purchase should be financed...".

Why they are asking for all that information before even a RTB2 has been issued I don't know.

You're right in the respect of how it's funded - with the caveat that they still have to follow anti-money-laundering regs. There has to be evidence that the funds are legitimate, and not from, say, running county lines / stolen goods.