Right to Buy Solicitors
Right to Buy solicitors in Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire
You could be eligible to buy your property through the Right to Buy scheme if:
- The property is your main home/only place of residence
- You are a secure tenant.
- The property is self-contained.
- For three years you have had a public sector landlord, such as a council, housing association or the NHS Trust.
- You are making a joint application with someone who shares your tenancy.
- You are making a joint application with up to three family members who have lived with you for at least a year.
- Whilst you were living in the property it was owned by the council before being sold to another landlord.
You may be entitled to a discount ranging from 35-60% for a flat or 50-70% for a house; this can often vary depending on the length of time you have been a tenant in the property, the type of property and the total value of the property.
Our conveyancing lawyers have helped numerous clients to purchase their council house or housing association property through Right to Buy.
Why use Rothera Bray for Right to Buy?
We have a wealth of experience in making applications for Right to Buy and dealing with local councils in regards to applications.
We can advise you on any surveys to be carried out that the local authority has requested.
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“We explain costs clearly – so there’s no hidden surprises”
Michelle Young
Head of Conveyancing
FAQs
The Right to Buy scheme allows most council home tenants and some housing association tenants to buy their council property at a discount.
The scheme was originally introduced in the Housing Act 1980 and although it has been abolished in Wales and Scotland it is still available in England and Northern Ireland.
You will need to complete an RTB1 form, which can be found here. Once you have completed and signed the form you need to send this to your landlord. Your landlord then has four weeks to respond to your application, or eight weeks if they have been your landlord for less than three years.
If your landlord declines your application, they must state their reasons for doing so. You will only be able to appeal this decision if the landlord has declined your offer because the property is suitable for elderly people.
If your landlord accepts your application they will send you an offer, which needs to be sent within eight weeks of their agreeing to the sale if you’re buying a freehold property, or 12 weeks if you’re buying a leasehold property. The offer will include information about:
- The price they think you should pay for the property and how they have worked it out
- Your level of discount and how they worked it out
- A description of the property and any land include in the price
- Estimates of service charges for the first five years
- Any known problems with the property’s structure
After receiving your landlord’s offer, you will have 12 weeks to decide if you want to buy the property. If you do not agree with your landlord’s offer you have three months within getting the offer to write to them and ask for an independent valuation. A district valuer from HM Revenue and Customs will visit your property to carry out a valuation. You then have 12 weeks to accept HMRC’s valuations or pull out of the sale.
You might need to pay stamp duty depending on the value of the property. Stamp duty is a one-off tax you pay when you buy a property, and the amount is based on a percentage of the purchase price. It varies according to the property value, and some lower-value properties may be exempt.
Preserved Right to Buy applies if:
- Your home used to be a council property but was sold to another public sector landlord whilst you were living in it; or
- After your home was sold by the council to a new landlord, you moved into a different property owned by the same landlord
You will also still need to fulfil the main eligibility criteria for Right to Buy as well
Right to Acquire has similar eligibility criteria as Right to Buy but allows most housing association tenants to buy their home at a discount, although the discount is only up to £16,000.
To be eligible for Right to Acquire, your property must have been either:
- Built or bought by a housing association after 31st March 1997; or
- Transferred from a local council to a housing association after 31st March 1997
Yes, you can borrow more on a Right to Buy mortgage, but it is advised that you talk to your landlord as well as your mortgage adviser and your local authority, who will have to approve the additional borrowing. It is also worth being aware that only a small number of lenders offer additional money on a right to buy mortgage and some only allow additional funding for home improvements.
No, in most cases lenders will accept a Right to Buy discount instead, but it is worth checking as not all do.
The amount of discount you can get depends on:
- How long you’ve been a tenant with a public sector landlord
- Whether you’re buying a flat or house
- The value of your home
If you’re buying the property with someone else, you count the years of whoever has been a public sector tenant the longest. You will also get a smaller discount if you have used Right to Buy in the past, or less discount if your landlord has spent money building or maintaining your home. If you sell your home within five years you usually have to repay some or all of your discount.
For houses you get a 35% discount if you have been a public sector tenant for between 3 and 5 years, and after 5 years the discount goes up 1% for every year you’ve been a public sector tenant, up to a maximum of 70% or £84,600 across England and £112,800 in London boroughs.
If you live in a flat you get a 50% discount if you have been a public sector tenant for between 3 and 5 years, after 5 years the discount goes up 2% for each extra year you have been a public sector tenant, up to a maximum of 70% or £84,600 across England and £112,800 in London boroughs.
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Posted 31 July 2026
As a first-time buyer, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Carol and the entire team were professional, knowledgeable, and supportive throughout the conveyancing process. They kept me informed at every stage, answered all of my questions promptly, and took the time to explain the legal process in a way that was easy to understand. Their communication was excellent, and I always felt confident that my purchase was in safe hands. Despite the complexities involved, everything was handled efficiently, and the transaction was completed smoothly. I truly appreciate the hard work and dedication of everyone involved. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a reliable and professional conveyancing solicitor. Thank you again for helping me purchase my first home.
Vipul
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Posted 29 July 2026
A big thank you to Sara Odedra for all her help with the sale of our house. She was always friendly, easy to deal with and kept us informed every step of the way. Whenever we had a question, she got back to us quickly and nothing ever felt like too much trouble. We really appreciated all the hard work she put in and would happily recommend Sara to anyone.
Vikram G
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Posted 28 July 2026
Thankyou for all of your help that you have done throughout the sale. The experience of working with Laura and Lisa has been nothing but positive in selling the property. After using other firms in the past, Rothera Bray made the process the most simple with strong communication and helped throughout.
Thomas Cruickshank
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Posted 27 July 2026
I was fortunate enough to have Laura Runcak look after what was a complicated and lengthy house sale and purchase. Laura was exceptional - professional, friendly, patient and always available to answer questions. Lisa Rainbow was also incredibly helpful. I would have no hesitation in recommending both Laura and Lisa.
Mike
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Posted 27 July 2026
Buying my first home was very daunting but Fatima Altaf was there for me along the journey. It meant a lot to have someone there to assist me through the process and be able to get me onto the property ladder.
Ben Stacey
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Posted 27 July 2026
Buying and selling a home requires a dedicated team, professional, congruent and great communication tools. I have to say the best teams in every legal matter service I've taken, all positive. Even when technology, and legal housing changes one thing remains, a professional, proficient, people orientated company. Highly recommend. Thank you team conveyancing Carol and Gail for being compassionate, professional and kind.
Nik
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Posted 27 July 2026
Amazing team. We have recently sold my late parents property. The team at Rothera Bray have been amazing. Very thorough, and helpful every step of the way.
Anonymous
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Posted 24 July 2026
We really can’t thank Abbey and Luisa enough for everything they did throughout our sale.Having previously had a very disappointing experience with a solicitor who was difficult to engage with and rarely communicated, we were naturally a little apprehensive. Thankfully, from our very first contact, Abbey and Luisa completely restored our faith in the process.One thing that really stood out from the very beginning was that they explained they would only take on our case if they had the capacity to give it the time and attention it deserved. That immediately gave us confidence that we wouldn’t just become another file in a large caseload, and it set the tone for the outstanding service we received throughout. It showed a genuine commitment to looking after their clients rather than taking on more work than they could realistically manage.Their communication was exceptional from start to finish. They kept us informed every step of the way with regular updates, explained everything in a clear and straightforward manner, and were always happy to answer any questions we had. We never once felt like we were chasing for information or left wondering what was happening.What really set them apart, though, was the genuine care and compassion they showed. Buying and selling a home is one of the biggest and most emotional events in life, and Abbey and Luisa never lost sight of that. They treated us as people, not just another file, and their kindness, reassurance and understanding made such a difference during what is a very stressful time.Their professionalism, dedication and personal approach were incredible and we genuinely felt supported from beginning to end.Thank you both for all your hard work, patience and support. We will be recommending Abbey and Luisa to anyone looking for a solicitor without hesitation.Jake and Lauren
Jake Culverwell
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Posted 23 July 2026
Excellent service from Suzanne and Priscilla and colleagues who picked up when a previous legal representative moved on. These two steered us through a particularly difficult time with a number of other parties not moving forward at any kind pace. Don't think we would have made it through with these people. Big thanks all round for their professional, can-do attitude.
Tim M
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Posted 23 July 2026
We received an excellent service from Sally Simpson in the Conveyancing team, who assisted my husband and I when we were buying a house. She was thorough, efficient and responsive and dealt with a last minute issue speedily so that the sale could go through without delay. I would highly recommend her.
Sarah Smith
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Posted 20 July 2026
Rothera Bray Solicitors were absolutely fantastic from start to finish with our house purchase, they were very patient and understanding of me being a first time buyer and not quite understand some of the forms and terminology being used however they took extra time to explain everything to me properly and fully. They are very quick at responding to questions and all around fantastic, already recommended to my friends and family and I will be seeking there help again in the future. Thank you for all your hard work and always looking out for myself and my wife.
Jack Poole
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Posted 20 July 2026
Abbey and Luisa’s professionalism and attentiveness was exceptional from the get-go. Being first time buyers, my husband and I were nervous and unsure when beginning the house buying process, but we were supported all the way through to completion. With Abbey and Luisa’s guidance and care, we felt informed every step of the way. The transparency, communication, and compassion was fantastic and we are both extremely happy with the service provided. We are so thankful for the time and attention taken to ensure we got the keys to our first home and would thoroughly recommend Rothera Bray to everybody.
Rebecca
Tim Brooke
Partner
Tim Brooke is a solicitor and partner in our residential conveyancing department, based at our West Bridgford and Nottingham offices.
Emily Weston
Partner
Emily Weston is as a Partner in the Residential Conveyancing team and is based primarily at our Beeston office.
Michelle Young
Partner & Head of Conveyancing
Michelle Young is a residential property specialist and heads up the conveyancing team. She’s based at our Loughborough office.
Julekha Nathani
Managing Associate
Julekha specializes in residential conveyancing and is based at our Market Harborough office. Having qualified in 2016 she has an extensive property knowledge dealing with a wide range of conveyancing matters.
Lucy Walsh
Managing Associate
Lucy Walsh is a Managing Associate in the Residential Conveyancing team and is based primarily at our Derby office.
Abbey Freeman
Senior Associate Solicitor
Abbey Freeman is a Senior Associate Solicitor in Rothera Bray’s Conveyancing team. She is based at our Loughborough office and is assisted by Luisa. She specialises in all aspects of Residential Property including New Build Purchases.
Carol Freeman
Senior Associate
Carol Freeman is a Chartered Legal Executive in Rothera Bray’s Residential Conveyancing department and is based at our Lace Market office.
Johanna Goddard
Senior Associate
Jo Goddard has over 20 years experience specialising in all aspects of residential conveyancing and regularly acts for clients on sales, purchases, remortgages and transfers of equity and is part of one of the largest conveyancing teams across the East Midlands. She works out of our Nottingham city centre office, in the Lace Market.
Sade Love
Senior Associate Licensed Conveyancer
Sade Love is a Licensed Conveyancer in Rothera Bray’s Conveyancing department and is Conveyancing Team Leader at our Mapperley office.
Rebecca McGarry
Senior Associate
Rebecca McGarry is a Senior Associate in the Residential Conveyancing team and is based at our Nottingham office.
Sally Simpson
Senior Associate
Sally is based at our West Bridgford office. She has 40 years experience specialising in all aspect of residential conveyancing.
Jo Clarke
Associate
Jo is an experienced Conveyancing Associate and is based at our West Bridgford office.
Sandy Kaur
Associate Solicitor
Sandy Kaur is an Associate Solicitor in Rothera Bray’s Conveyancing department and is based at our Beeston office.
Tina Rana
Associate Solicitor
Tina is an Associate Solicitor in our Residential Conveyancing department, based in Leicester.
She has extensive experience in dealing with all aspects of residential conveyancing including, leasehold and transfer of equities.
Fatima Altaf
Solicitor
Fatima Altaf is a Solicitor in the Residential Property department. She is based at our Leicester office.
Kerry Brown
Chartered Legal Executive
Kerry Brown is a residential property specialist at Rothera Bray’s Nottingham HQ.
Hayley Hart
Solicitor
Hayley Hart is a Solicitor in Rothera Bray’s Residential Conveyancing department and is based at our Mapperley branch office.
Jackie Murphy
Solicitor
Jackie Murphy is a Solicitor in Rothera Bray’s Residential Conveyancing team and is based at our West Bridgford office.
Sara Odedra
Chartered Legal Executive
Sara Odedra is a Chartered Legal Executive in our Residential Property department and is based at our Market Harborough office.
Kerry Redfern
Licensed Conveyancer
Kerry Redfern is a residential property specialist in our Mapperley office.
Suzanne Riozzi
Chartered Legal Executive
Suzanne Riozzi is a Chartered Legal Executive in Rothera Bray’s Residential Conveyancing department and is based at our Loughborough office.
Ellie Robinson
Solicitor
Ellie Robinson is a Solicitor in the residential conveyancing department at Rothera Bray and is based at our Derby office.
Laura Runcak
Solicitor
Laura Runcak is a Solicitor in the Conveyancing department at Rothera Bray Derby and Beeston.
Ruth Cooper
Managing Paralegal
Ruth Cooper is a Managing Paralegal in Rothera Bray’s Residential Conveyancing department and is based at our Loughborough office.
Michelle Chambers
Senior Paralegal
Michelle works in our Conveyancing department as a Senior Paralegal and is based at our Beeston office.
Priscilla Dohara
Senior Paralegal
Priscilla Dohara is a Senior Paralegal specialising in residential conveyancing, providing clients with efficient and reliable support throughout the property transaction process. Priscilla is based at our Loughborough office.
Nikola Dzierzak
Senior Paralegal
Nikola is a Senior Paralegal and works within our Conveyancing department at our West Bridgford office.
Gail Garner
Senior Paralegal
Gail is a Senior Paralegal in our Residential Conveyancing department and is based at our Lace Market office.
Schiennel Holness
Senior Paralegal
Schiennel Holness is a Senior Paralegal in Rothera Bray’s Conveyancing department and is based at our Mapperley office.
Theresa Mason
Senior Paralegal
Theresa is a Senior Paralegal in our Conveyancing department based at the West Bridgford office.
Grace Millward
Senior Paralegal
Grace Millward is a Senior Paralegal in Rothera Bray Residential Conveyancing department and is based at the Derby branch.
Luisa Palumbo
Senior Paralegal
Luisa Palumbo is a Senior Paralegal in Rothera Bray’s Conveyancing team and is based at our Loughborough office.
Shelby Richardson
Senior Paralegal
Shelby Richardson is a Senior Paralegal in Rothera Bray’s Conveyancing department and is based at our Mapperley branch.
Beccy Rodham
Senior Paralegal
Beccy Rodham is a Senior Paralegal in Rothera Bray’s Conveyancing department and is based at our Lace Market office.
Julian Ryan
Senior Paralegal
Julian Ryan is a Senior Paralegal in Rothera Bray’s Conveyancing team and is based at our Market Harborough office.
Lianne Green
Paralegal
Lianne is a Paralegal in the Conveyancing Team based at our West Bridgford branch.
Duygu Kartal
Paralegal
Duygu Kartal is a paralegal in Rothera Bray’s conveyancing team and is based at our Nottingham office.
Akeeta Lakhani
Paralegal
Akeeta is a Paralegal in our Residential Conveyancing team. She is based at our Loughborough office.
Lisa Rainbow
Paralegal
Lisa is a Paralegal in our Residential Conveyancing team. She is based at Mercury Place in Leicester.
Clare Salt
Paralegal
Clare Salt is a paralegal in Rothera Bray’s conveyancing team and is based at our Nottingham office.
Nirvair Kaur Singh
Paralegal
Nirvair is a Paralegal in our Conveyancing team based at our West Bridgford office.
Rhiannon Tyrrell
Paralegal
Rhiannon Tyrrell is a Paralegal in Rothera Bray’s Conveyancing team and is based at our Leicester office.
Sally Cooper
Conveyancing Department Assistant
Sally is our first point of contact for any new conveyancing enquiries that come in to the department and provides a bespoke quoting service for prospective clients, estate agents and other referrers of work.
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