Right to Acquire Mortgages: 2026 Guide

Right to Acquire is the housing association version of Right to Buy. If your home qualifies, you can buy it at a discount of £9,000 to £16,000, depending on where you live. It is a smaller discount than many people expect, so the mortgage and buying costs matter just as much as the discount.

Who qualifies?

Under the GOV.UK eligibility rules, you can apply if:

• You have had a public sector landlord, such as a housing association, council, NHS trust or the armed services, for 3 years.
• Your home was built or bought by a housing association after 31 March 1997 with public funding, or was transferred from a council to a housing association after that date.
• Your landlord is registered with the Regulator of Social Housing.
• The home is self-contained and your only or main home.

You can apply jointly with someone who shares your tenancy, or with up to 3 family members who have lived with you for 12 months. You cannot use Right to Acquire if you are a council tenant, as Right to Buy applies instead, or if you have a Preserved Right to Buy.

How much discount do you get?

GOV.UK says the discount is between £9,000 and £16,000, set by where you live. Your landlord tells you the figure when you apply. It may be reduced if you have used Right to Buy or Right to Acquire before.

Right to Acquire or Right to Buy?

	Right to Acquire	Right to Buy
Landlord	Housing association	Council
Discount	Fixed £9,000 to £16,000 by area	Percentage of value, capped at £16,000 to £38,000 by area
Qualifying homes	Built, bought or transferred after March 1997	Most council homes
Selling within 10 years	Offer back to former landlord first	Offer back to former landlord first

Getting a mortgage

A Right to Acquire mortgage is a standard residential mortgage. Lenders look at:

• Your discount as equity. Many lenders treat it as part or all of your deposit. Because Right to Acquire discounts are smaller, you may need some savings too.
• Affordability. Your income, outgoings and credit history. Housing Benefit and the housing element of Universal Credit are not counted, because they stop once you own the home.
• The property. Flats are checked for lease terms, service charges and major works.

Past credit problems do not automatically rule you out. See our bad credit mortgage guide.

Applying

1. Ask your landlord for the application form, or download it from GOV.UK.
2. Your landlord confirms whether you qualify and sends an offer with the price, discount and, for flats, service charges.
3. Get an agreement in principle and instruct a conveyancer.
4. Apply for your mortgage, arrange any survey, then exchange and complete.

Selling after you buy

According to GOV.UK:

• If you sell within 10 years, you must first offer the home to your former landlord at full market price. If they do not agree to buy within 8 weeks, you can sell to anyone.
• If you sell within 5 years, you repay some or all of the discount, starting at the full discount in year 1. The amount is linked to your home’s value when you sell.

Right to Acquire FAQs

Check your figures with us

We can confirm whether lenders will accept your discount, how much cash you might need and what the purchase will cost each month. Your initial consultation is free.