Buying Your House

As a DGHP tenant you may be entitled to purchase your home under the “Right to Buy” scheme.

The 'Right to Buy' was introduced by the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 then amended by the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001.

There are currently two schemes in operation - the original “Right to Buy” and the “Modernised Right to Buy”.   Eligibility for these schemes will depend on you meeting the following criteria;

1. The original “Right to Buy”:-

• Your tenancy started before 30 September 2002 and you have not moved after that date. 
• You have occupied a house, or a succession of houses, with a Registered Social Landlord or Housing Association or a Local Authority for a minimum of two years. 
• The maximum discount takes 30 years to acquire for a house and 15 years for a flat.
• The maximum discount is 60 per cent of the value for a house and 70 per cent of the value for a flat.

2. The “Modernised Right to Buy”:-

• Your tenancy started on or after 30 September 2002.
• You have occupied a house, or a succession of houses, with a housing association or council for a minimum of 5 years.
• The maximum discount takes 20 years to acquire.
• The maximum discount is 35% of the value of all properties and is capped at £15,000.

Further restrictions on the Right to Buy have been introduced by the Housing (Scotland) Act 2010.  These affect new tenants to the social rented section and houses built or acquired by social landlords (“new supply”) after 25th June 2008. These changes are –

New Tenants

If you became a tenant of social housing for the first time after 1st March 2011, or if you have returned to social housing after a break, you will not have the Right to Buy that, or any other house. 

New Supply

If you became a tenant of a “new supply” house, on or after 1st March 2011 then, in general, you will not have the Right to Buy that house. 

To find out more please call our Customer Service Centre on 0800 011 3447 (Freephone)