Homes due to be demolished

If your landlord intends to demolish your home, they may serve on you an initial demolition notice, valid for up to 7 years.

Such a notice suspends their obligation to complete a Right to Buy purchase. If you have already applied for the Right to Buy, you can still complete your purchase if demolition does not in fact take place. You can also make a new application while an initial demolition notice is in force, but your landlord does not have to complete the sale under those circumstances.

However, if your landlord serves a final demolition notice, then any existing Right to Buy claims are ended and no new applications can be made. Your landlord can only serve such a notice if all other premises which are to be demolished within the relevant area have been acquired or are subject to binding agreements to acquire. This is to prevent tenants from being disadvantaged by unresolved compulsory purchase issues. A final demolition notice will be valid for 2 years, and can be extended on application to the Secretary of State.

If you have established a valid claim to exercise the Right to Buy before either an initial demolition notice or a final demolition notice is served, you have 3 months in which to claim compensation for expenditure connected with the conveyancing process, such as legal or survey fees.

If your landlord subsequently decides not to demolish the property, they must serve a revocation notice on you as soon as is reasonably practicable. If it appears to the Secretary of State that a landlord has no intention of demolishing properties they may serve a notice revoking the initial or final demolition notice which has been served on you.