Slough Borough Council

Buying a home

Homebuy is a great way to buy your first home. It’s aimed at people who cannot afford to buy a home outright.

You find a home on the open market and pay 75% of the purchase price. Keystart Housing Association will give you the other 25%, which is repayable when you sell.

Priority is given to council and housing association tenants and then to those on the housing register.

You must be able to demonstrate that you are able to fund a conventional mortgage or have personal savings for 75% of the purchase price and have sufficient savings to pay for your own legal fees and other costs of buying a home.

For further information contact Keystart Housing Association (Telephone: 0845 601 7729)

Buying your council home

If you are a council tenant and want to buy your home your tenancy agreement gives you the legal right to do so. One of the following conditions must apply:

• You have been a secure tenant with us, or another council or a registered housing association for two years or more
• You do not live in a certain type of home, for example, a house specially adapted for elderly or disabled residents

One of the benefits of being a council tenant is that you can buy your home with a discount based on your tenancy.

The amount of discount depends on how long you have been a tenant. However, the maximum discount is capped at £38,000 for both flat and house purchases.

Further information can be found on the Right to Buy section of the ODPM website.

Some dos and don’ts

Do take some time to think about some of the other costs that you will have to budget for. As a tenant your rent includes things like buildings insurance and a free repairs service. If you buy your home you will have to pay for these yourself.

Don’t be taken in by "right to buy" sales people who may try to get you to sign on the doorstep and ask for a fee.

Do get independent financial advice from a bank or building society.

Do contact our customer services team on 01753 875491 / 875492 if you would like further advice or information. Our team are there to help you and the advice you receive will be free.

If you are interested in buying your home they will send out an information pack and an application form.

You can contact the customer services team between 9am and 4.45pm any weekday. Alternatively you can e-mail us at tenants@slough.gov.uk