This right is provided through Local Authorities and with the current shortage of accommodation in many areas is becoming increasingly difficult for them.
The Right is ONLY available to certain classes of people, in particular:
- Families with under age children and pregnant women
- People vulnerable due to illness or old age, and
- People made homeless due to an emergency such as fire or flood
Note however that you will lose this right if you voluntarily move out of accommodation you are entitled to stay in. This is why tenants threatened with eviction by their landlords are advised to stay put until they are evicted by the bailiffs.
The right to buy
This is a slightly different right and (at present) available to some social housing sector tenants only.
In the private sector tenants can only buy their property if the landlord agrees to sell it to them. Clearly they will be in a better negotiating position if they have a tenancy with long-term security, such as a protected tenancy.
Landlord Law Blog Posts:
Action – if you think you are eligible for re-housing you need to contact the homelessness department at your Local Authority.
