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Step 4 Appealing to the District Valuer
When you receive your Section 125 notice, you may feel that what your landlord thinks is the full market value of your home is too high. If so, you have a right to obtain an independent valuation from the District Valuer. Before doing so, you have to tell the landlord, within 3 months of receiving the Section 125 notice, that you want a "determination of value" under Section 128 of the Housing Act 1985. You then have 4 weeks to put your case to the District Valuer. He will also need to inspect your home.
The District Valuer's valuation will be the one that counts. Even if it is higher than the landlord's valuation, you will still have to accept it or withdraw your application to buy your home.
This guide is adapted from Your Right To Buy Your Home, © Crown Copyright 2005; Amended Reprint March 2006. Posted on this site August 2008.
Purchase Your Council House
If you've been a council house tenant for between two and five years you might qualify for the right to buy programme. The discounted property buying scheme is targeted at longterm public tenants and gives everyone who is eligible the opportunity to become a homeowner. Once you apply for the chance to own your council home and are (hopefully) accepted, you will get sent a section 125 notice. This is an important document describing the value of your home and the amount of discount you will get off the Open Market Value (OMV). It depends on your council and could be anywhere between £16,000 and £38,000. Mrs Q. Edwards from Cuckfield managed to buy her housing association house for £33,000 cheaper than it was worth.
As soon as you know how much you need to pay for your council property you can get a Right To Buy mortgage. Only certain mortgage lenders will lend on a right to buy mortgage (big banks like The Woolwich or Bank of Scotland) so it may be best to go to a right to buy mortgage provider who should point you in the right direction. The whole process normally takes just a few months to complete.
Buy Your Council Home From These Councils
- Right To Buy Tamworth Borough Council House
- Right To Buy North Yorkshire County Council House
- Right To Buy Tower Hamlets Council House
- Right To Buy Maidstone Borough Council House
- Right To Buy Guildford Borough Council House
- Right To Buy Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council House
- Right To Buy Perth & Kinross Council House
- Right To Buy Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council House
- Right To Buy Erewash Borough Council House
- Right To Buy South Hams District Council House


