Guides › Rent and Deposits › Right to Buy: Discounts and Rules Since November 2024
Right to Buy: Discounts and Rules Since November 2024
For applications from 21 November 2024, the maximum Right to Buy discount is the lower of 70% of the value or a regional cap, from £16,000 in most of London to £38,000 in the South East. Houses start at 35% after 3 to 5 years as a public sector tenant, rising 1% a year; flats start at 50%, rising 2% a year. You usually have to repay some or all of the discount if you sell within 5 years.
At A Glance
Your Rights
What the rules say, with a link to the official source for each.
How Much Discount
Regional Caps
From 21 November 2024: London £16,000 (£38,000 in Barking and Dagenham and Havering); North East £22,000; North West £26,000; Yorkshire and the Humber £24,000; East Midlands £24,000; West Midlands £26,000; Eastern £34,000 (£16,000 in Watford); South East £38,000 (£16,000 in some areas); South West £30,000. The discount is capped at the lower of 70% of the value or the regional maximum. source
Percentages
Houses: 35% for 3 to 5 years as a public sector tenant, then 1% more for each extra year. Flats: 50% for 3 to 5 years, then 2% more for each extra year. source
Selling Later
You will usually have to repay some or all of your discount if you sell your home within 5 years. source
Time Limits to Know
Miss a deadline and you can lose a right. Check the dates on your own paperwork.
- 5 yearsRepayment periodIf you sell
Steps to Take
Step 1 of 5
Check how long you have been a public sector tenant.
Step 2 of 5
Find your region's cap.
Step 3 of 5
Ask your council for the Right to Buy application form.
Step 4 of 5
Get independent mortgage and legal advice.
Step 5 of 5
Remember the 5-year repayment rule.
(Tap the numbers to reveal steps)
Where to Go If It Is Not Put Right
Your options, in order, and when each one applies.
Your Local Council
Housing or environmental health team. It can act on landlord breaches.
Shelter England
Free advice on deposit claims and eviction notices.
Citizens Advice
Free advice on any renting problem.
Good to Know
Small things that make your complaint stronger.
Housing association tenants may have the Right to Acquire instead, with different rules.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different housing rules.
Want Help?
If you would like one of our team to look at your problem, our initial case review is free. We cannot guarantee any outcome and we do not give legal advice.
Lead reviewer
Luke Marley
Founder and Lead Reviewer
Luke founded CPUK in 2026 after seeing how hard it is for ordinary people to get problems with companies put right. He oversees our guides and checks them against official sources.
Research by Katie Burt, Co-founder and Operations Lead (17 years in the care sector, including managing services for vulnerable adults), and the CPUK Research Team. Researched with AI-assisted research tools, then checked and corrected by our team.
Last checked: 15 October 2026. We are not paid by the companies we write about. Adverts never affect our guidance. Read our editorial policy.
Sources and official links
- gov.uk/right-to-buy-buying-your-council-home/discounts Checked 15 October 2026
- england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/tenancy_deposits/check_your_tenancy_deposit_is_protected/deposit_not_protected Checked 12 October 2026
- citizensadvice.org.uk Checked 8 October 2026