Buying your council house or flat

Before you apply

You may qualify if:

you are an RBKC tenant
you have been a tenant for at least 3 years
the home is your only or main home
your home is self-contained (you do not share a bathroom or kitchen with another household)

You usually cannot buy your home if:

it is sheltered accommodation
your home comes with your job (for example, caretakers or school-keepers)
a court has made a possession order requiring you to leave your home
you are an undischarged bankrupt, have a pending bankruptcy petition against you, or have an arrangement with creditors and still owe money

Important update on discounts
From 21 November 2024, the maximum Right to Buy discount reduced from £136,400 to £16,000. Applications received on or after this date will only be eligible for the new discount. Find out more about the Right to Buy scheme discounts.

How to apply

Step 1: send us your RTB1 form

Complete and submit the Right to Buy application form (RTB1):

email: [email protected] - put your property address in the subject of the email
hand in or post your form to a Housing Management Customer Service Centre:

(North)
Malton Road Hub
2-4 Malton Road
London
W10 5UP

(South)
12 Blantyre Street
London
SW10 0DS

Step 2: verification checks

After we receive your RTB1 form:

we'll confirm whether you have the Right to Buy within 4 weeks by issuing a RTB2 notice
once we have your RTB1 form, we'll ask you to visit our office to provide your supporting evidence
we'll share information with fraud prevention agencies to verify your identity and prevent fraud and money-laundering

If fraud is detected, you could be refused certain services, finance, or employment.

Read more about how we use your data on the Cifas website.

Bring original documents to help us verify you, including:

photographic ID such as a passport or driving licence
3 months of bank statements (if you are only a tenant)
12 months of bank statements (if the person applying is a family member)

What happens next

Step 3: Landlord Officer Notice (Section 125)

We'll issue your offer notice within:

8 weeks for a freehold (house)
12 weeks for a leasehold (flat)

Step 4: your response

You must choose one of these options within 12 weeks of receiving your Section 125 notice.

Step 5: Default Notice

If you do not respond:

we'll send a 28-day default notice after the Section 125 offer expires
if you still do not hear from you after the default notice expires, we'll close your application