Right to Buy - why wasn't I informed?

Rainy68

Hello,

I am a tenant of 19 years in Leeds. I have put a lot of money into my home and wanted to do the Right to Buy, which I started on 1st November, 2024. My ex husband then passed away unexpectedly and a whole host of other things. I went to continue my right to buy application to find that the discount had been changed as of 24th November? I never received any documentation from my council indicating an upcoming change?

It means I can no longer buy my property as the discount of £24000 is too low and therefore my mortgage to high for my age. Surely if there was a change i should have been notified as a tenant that the rules had altered. Also I note that the enquiry / discussion into the new rules only started 20th November 2024 until 15th January 2025 so how can something be changed without due notice?

Please help me understand here as I am devastated that i am no longer in a position to buy my home, unlike Rayner.

Baldytyke88

A rather similar to the WASPI women issue, should people receive a person communication when there are changes.

It was in the national media. Try contacting your local council or MP.

18 September 2024

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdxl1zd07l1o

https://www.localgov.co.uk/Chancellor-to-slash-Right-to-Buy-discount/61370

LHCalc123

You say you started on 1st November, did you send in your application on this date? 

Rainy68

LHCalc123 said:

You say you started on 1st November, did you send in your application on this date? 

Unfortunately, i did not. I saved it on the Gov website as it asked for further information to finish. Then my husband died, etc so I returned to it to find that I had to re apply. I was never aware of any changes to policy... I usually receive a letter saying of rent changes etc but never got any inofrmation regarding change to Right ot Buy policy.

Rainy68

Baldytyke88 said:

A rather similar to the WASPI women issue, should people receive a person communication when there are changes.

It was in the national media. Try contacting your local council or MP.

Thank you for your message, but as I stated, I do not read the papers nor watch the news (purely based upon negative news and stories) therefore I was not aware of changes and to my knowledge not many others did too. I always receive letters from Leeds council about rent increases, changes to bin dates etc but have not received anything about a change to Right to Buy policy. as a long term tenant I think that this should have happened.

Jude57

Rainy68 said:

Baldytyke88 said:

A rather similar to the WASPI women issue, should people receive a person communication when there are changes.

It was in the national media. Try contacting your local council or MP.

Thank you for your message, but as I stated, I do not read the papers nor watch the news (purely based upon negative news and stories) therefore I was not aware of changes and to my knowledge not many others did too. I always receive letters from Leeds council about rent increases, changes to bin dates etc but have not received anything about a change to Right to Buy policy. as a long term tenant I think that this should have happened.

I'm sorry for your loss. It's a very difficult time, I know. You could ask your local Councillor to look into this for you, their contact information will be on the Council's website, but frankly, I don't think it will help. What I'm about to say may sound harsh but I speak from experience of working in Local Government for many years so I can see it from the Council perspective. I'm a Council tenant, too.

Leeds City Council manages 55,000 properties and it would cost a minimum of £47,850 in second class postage alone to send such letters to every first-named (i.e. ONLY to the person named first on the tenancy agreement) tenant - add in the cost of paper, envelopes, printing, folding and stuffing (physically putting the letters in the envelopes) and you'd be looking at a minimum of £50,000. Then there's the cost of dealing with the phone calls, emails, letters and visitors to Council offices that such a mailshot would create. The vast majority of tenants have no interest in buying their homes and would want to know why such letters had been sent. The local Council Tax payers would, rightly, be asking why so much of their money had been spent to advise uninterested tenants of something so widely publicised elsewhere. There's a legal concept, often quoted here, which applies to anyone buying any property under any circumstances; caveat emptor. Literally translated it means ' let the buyer beware' but in reality it means that if you're going to buy property, it's up to YOU to make sure you have all the relevant information beforehand. Put bluntly, it's your choice not to read or watch the news, and I do understand your choice, but it's not up to the Council to do what you decided not to do - make sure you had all the relevant information. Put another way, how would you, as a Council Tax payer, feel if the Council sent a letter to every resident of their area advising of a change of location of dog poo bins? It wouldn't apply to people who don't have dogs and it would be more cost effective to put notices on existing bins so regular users would see them - but if those people didn't bother reading the notices, whose fault would that be? You say you receive letters about rent increases but it's not the same thing. Homeowners don't receive those, it would be a waste of resources because it wouldn't apply to them. 

Finally, I'd ask WHY you want to buy your Council house now? You have a secure tenancy and all maintenance is taken care of so, for example, if a new roof or windows or central heating are required, it's the Council who will have to pay. I've spent significant sums on my home, too, but it's made it more pleasant for me to live in and I'd have done the same if I'd bought it. I'm a secure tenant, too, but I know that if I need supported housing as I age, the Council will help me find a new home where again, I'll have no worries about maintenance costs. It's one less thing to worry about.

Bookworm105

Rainy68 said:

 as a long term tenant I think that this should have happened.

why?
There comes a point where people have to take responsibility for their own actions.
You have chosen not to follow the news, fine, your prerogative, but  why should you expect to be hand held on anything that might potentially impact you

Obviously sympathy for your circumstances, and they do possibility give you grounds for a compassionate appeal, but not keeping yourself informed is not a good approach to life.

Rainy68

Jude57 said:

Rainy68 said:

Baldytyke88 said:

A rather similar to the WASPI women issue, should people receive a person communication when there are changes.

It was in the national media. Try contacting your local council or MP.

Thank you for your message, but as I stated, I do not read the papers nor watch the news (purely based upon negative news and stories) therefore I was not aware of changes and to my knowledge not many others did too. I always receive letters from Leeds council about rent increases, changes to bin dates etc but have not received anything about a change to Right to Buy policy. as a long term tenant I think that this should have happened.

I'm sorry for your loss. It's a very difficult time, I know. You could ask your local Councillor to look into this for you, their contact information will be on the Council's website, but frankly, I don't think it will help. What I'm about to say may sound harsh but I speak from experience of working in Local Government for many years so I can see it from the Council perspective. I'm a Council tenant, too.

Leeds City Council manages 55,000 properties and it would cost a minimum of £47,850 in second class postage alone to send such letters to every first-named (i.e. ONLY to the person named first on the tenancy agreement) tenant - add in the cost of paper, envelopes, printing, folding and stuffing (physically putting the letters in the envelopes) and you'd be looking at a minimum of £50,000. Then there's the cost of dealing with the phone calls, emails, letters and visitors to Council offices that such a mailshot would create. The vast majority of tenants have no interest in buying their homes and would want to know why such letters had been sent. The local Council Tax payers would, rightly, be asking why so much of their money had been spent to advise uninterested tenants of something so widely publicised elsewhere. There's a legal concept, often quoted here, which applies to anyone buying any property under any circumstances; caveat emptor. Literally translated it means ' let the buyer beware' but in reality it means that if you're going to buy property, it's up to YOU to make sure you have all the relevant information beforehand. Put bluntly, it's your choice not to read or watch the news, and I do understand your choice, but it's not up to the Council to do what you decided not to do - make sure you had all the relevant information. Put another way, how would you, as a Council Tax payer, feel if the Council sent a letter to every resident of their area advising of a change of location of dog poo bins? It wouldn't apply to people who don't have dogs and it would be more cost effective to put notices on existing bins so regular users would see them - but if those people didn't bother reading the notices, whose fault would that be? You say you receive letters about rent increases but it's not the same thing. Homeowners don't receive those, it would be a waste of resources because it wouldn't apply to them. 

Finally, I'd ask WHY you want to buy your Council house now? You have a secure tenancy and all maintenance is taken care of so, for example, if a new roof or windows or central heating are required, it's the Council who will have to pay. I've spent significant sums on my home, too, but it's made it more pleasant for me to live in and I'd have done the same if I'd bought it. I'm a secure tenant, too, but I know that if I need supported housing as I age, the Council will help me find a new home where again, I'll have no worries about maintenance costs. It's one less thing to worry about.

Thank you again for your response, I had put a part of application in therefore it would have been logged. I am not suggesting that they write to everyone though they do not hesitate when it comes to letting you know new bin dates or other paraphernalia so therefore on a subject so important, i don't understand why not? They are quick to send out a notice of being short by £2 on council tax? Apparently all computer generated - so therefore why not a letter notifying of a significant change to the Right to Buy? As a tenant I am entitled to be kept up to date, much like any rent increases or change to tenancy details?

Rainy68

Bookworm105 said:

Rainy68 said:

 as a long term tenant I think that this should have happened.

why?
There comes a point where people have to take responsibility for their own actions.
You have chosen not to follow the news, fine, your prerogative, but  why should you expect to be hand held on anything that might potentially impact you

Obviously sympathy for your circumstances, and they do possibility give you grounds for a compassionate appeal, but not keeping yourself informed is not a good approach to life.

Bookworm105 said:

Rainy68 said:

 as a long term tenant I think that this should have happened.

why?
There comes a point where people have to take responsibility for their own actions.
You have chosen not to follow the news, fine, your prerogative, but  why should you expect to be hand held on anything that might potentially impact you

Obviously sympathy for your circumstances, and they do possibility give you grounds for a compassionate appeal, but not keeping yourself informed is not a good approach to life.

Thank you for your response. I am without fail notified almost every week of some new development in the council, whether it be new bin days, rent increases, road closures ,etc So why not about my own actual tenancy?

Rainy68

Jude57 said:

Rainy68 said:

Baldytyke88 said:

A rather similar to the WASPI women issue, should people receive a person communication when there are changes.

It was in the national media. Try contacting your local council or MP.

Thank you for your message, but as I stated, I do not read the papers nor watch the news (purely based upon negative news and stories) therefore I was not aware of changes and to my knowledge not many others did too. I always receive letters from Leeds council about rent increases, changes to bin dates etc but have not received anything about a change to Right to Buy policy. as a long term tenant I think that this should have happened.

I'm sorry for your loss. It's a very difficult time, I know. You could ask your local Councillor to look into this for you, their contact information will be on the Council's website, but frankly, I don't think it will help. What I'm about to say may sound harsh but I speak from experience of working in Local Government for many years so I can see it from the Council perspective. I'm a Council tenant, too.

Leeds City Council manages 55,000 properties and it would cost a minimum of £47,850 in second class postage alone to send such letters to every first-named (i.e. ONLY to the person named first on the tenancy agreement) tenant - add in the cost of paper, envelopes, printing, folding and stuffing (physically putting the letters in the envelopes) and you'd be looking at a minimum of £50,000. Then there's the cost of dealing with the phone calls, emails, letters and visitors to Council offices that such a mailshot would create. The vast majority of tenants have no interest in buying their homes and would want to know why such letters had been sent. The local Council Tax payers would, rightly, be asking why so much of their money had been spent to advise uninterested tenants of something so widely publicised elsewhere. There's a legal concept, often quoted here, which applies to anyone buying any property under any circumstances; caveat emptor. Literally translated it means ' let the buyer beware' but in reality it means that if you're going to buy property, it's up to YOU to make sure you have all the relevant information beforehand. Put bluntly, it's your choice not to read or watch the news, and I do understand your choice, but it's not up to the Council to do what you decided not to do - make sure you had all the relevant information. Put another way, how would you, as a Council Tax payer, feel if the Council sent a letter to every resident of their area advising of a change of location of dog poo bins? It wouldn't apply to people who don't have dogs and it would be more cost effective to put notices on existing bins so regular users would see them - but if those people didn't bother reading the notices, whose fault would that be? You say you receive letters about rent increases but it's not the same thing. Homeowners don't receive those, it would be a waste of resources because it wouldn't apply to them. 

Finally, I'd ask WHY you want to buy your Council house now? You have a secure tenancy and all maintenance is taken care of so, for example, if a new roof or windows or central heating are required, it's the Council who will have to pay. I've spent significant sums on my home, too, but it's made it more pleasant for me to live in and I'd have done the same if I'd bought it. I'm a secure tenant, too, but I know that if I need supported housing as I age, the Council will help me find a new home where again, I'll have no worries about maintenance costs. It's one less thing to worry about.

I admit I should have done an Angela Raynor...

sheramber

Rainy68 said:

Bookworm105 said:

Rainy68 said:

 as a long term tenant I think that this should have happened.

why?
There comes a point where people have to take responsibility for their own actions.
You have chosen not to follow the news, fine, your prerogative, but  why should you expect to be hand held on anything that might potentially impact you

Obviously sympathy for your circumstances, and they do possibility give you grounds for a compassionate appeal, but not keeping yourself informed is not a good approach to life.

Bookworm105 said:

Rainy68 said:

 as a long term tenant I think that this should have happened.

why?
There comes a point where people have to take responsibility for their own actions.
You have chosen not to follow the news, fine, your prerogative, but  why should you expect to be hand held on anything that might potentially impact you

Obviously sympathy for your circumstances, and they do possibility give you grounds for a compassionate appeal, but not keeping yourself informed is not a good approach to life.

Thank you for your response. I am without fail notified almost every week of some new development in the council, whether it be new bin days, rent increases, road closures ,etc So why not about my own actual tenancy?

These  notices apply generally.

Your application is personal to you.

Did you get notified that you could exercise the Right to Buy or how did you know about it?