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There are several stages you go through when you buy your home.
Firstly you must fill in and return the application form RTB 1 Notice claiming the Right To Buy. A form can be obtained from your Housing Officer, Tenancy Management Team or Property Services at the Town Hall.
When your RTB 1 form has been received and checked, you will be sent a form RTB 2 Landlords notice in response to tenants right to claim. This form will tell you if your application to buy has been accepted. This will be sent to you within four weeks if you have been a Kensington and Chelsea tenant for the whole of the qualifying period.
If you have been a tenant of other public bodies it will take up to eight weeks in order to check the information with other landlords.
If your application is accepted, the Valuer from Property Services will make arrangements to inspect your home. The Valuer will note any improvements you have carried out, for example a new kitchen or bathroom and these will be excluded from the valuation of the property.
The value of your home will be assessed by using information from sales of similar properties (size and type) in your local area. The sales information will be adjusted where appropriate so that a fair comparison with your home can be made.
The valuation will be sent to you in the Section 125 Landlord’s Offer Letter. You will get this notice within eight weeks if you are buying a house, or within 12 weeks if you are buying a flat or maisonette. The Section 125 notice is one of the most important documents you will receive as it sets out price of buying your home, and other financial costs you will have to pay, such as service charges.
If you are not satisfied with the valuation of your home, you may write to the Council within three months of your Section 125 Landlord’s Offer Letter requesting a new valuation from the District Valuer. The District Valuer will carry out an independent valuation which may result in either an increase or a decrease in the value of your home. The District Valuer’s valuation is final.
If the Council does not send you form RTB2 telling you if you have the right to buy, or the Section 125 Landlord’s Offer Letter, within the times mentioned above, or is otherwise delaying the sale, you may be allowed a reduction in the purchase price. To get this reduction you first need to fill in an initial notice of delay (form RTB6) and send it to the Council. The Council must take action within a month or serve a counter notice.
If the Council fails to send a counter notice you can then send an operative notice of delay (Form RTB 8). The rent you pay while the delay goes on will be taken off the price you pay for your home.
If you wish to proceed with the purchase of your home you must write to the Council within 12 weeks of receiving your Section 125 Landlord’s Offer Letter. If we do not hear from you within the 12 weeks you will be given a further and final 28 day period to notify the Council of your intention. If you fail to notify the Council of your intention within this period, your application will be withdrawn. You can however submit a fresh application at any time.
If, within three months of the date of the Section 125 Landlord’s Offer Letter, the purchase has not been completed, the Council will send you a First Notice to Complete which will give you a further 56 days to complete the purchase. If the purchase has still not completed within the 56 days the Council will then send you a Second Notice to Complete which gives you a further 56 days in which to complete your purchase. If the purchase has still not completed within the 56 days the application will be withdrawn.
For more information contact Property Services
For other information and Right to Buy see:
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