On the 30th September 2002 the Scottish secure tenancy came into force. It replaced the previous tenancy held by local authority tenants and the secure and assured tenancies which applied in the housing association sector. The Scottish Secure Tenancy provides a single, common tenancy for virtually all tenants of local authorities and registered social landlords in Scotland and brought with it quite significant changes to the right to buy.

Prior to the implementation of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001, housing association tenants with an assured tenancy agreement did not have the right to buy unless they had transferred through a 'stock transfer' to an association from Scottish Homes. Such tenants continued to keep the right to buy and this became known as the Preserved right to buy. Tenants with the Preserved right to buy retained this right as long as they remained in a Larkfield Housing Association house. From the 30th September 2002 however tenants who retain a Preserved right to buy only do so if they remain within their current home. If you move to any other property either in Larkfield or elsewhere with another different Landlord you lose the right to buy.

Assuming you have the Preserved right to buy and you decide to purchase your home, the Association will sell the house to you under the same terms and conditions and discount levels as were in operation before the 30th September 2002. Association tenants who are not former Scottish Homes tenants ie. they signed an Assured Tenancy Agreement after January 1997 (the date of stock transfer) have no right to buy.

Recent changes also mean that the Association are allowed to exclude from the right to buy those tenants who have arrears of rent, council tax, water and sewerage charges, or other amounts owing as a result of your current or a previous tenancy or, if the Association has served upon you a Notice of Proceedings for recovery of possession.

Tenants with the right to buy who choose to exercise their right must provide proof at point of application that they have no outstanding charges.

Please contact the Housing Management staff at the office for further information.