Buy Back scheme

We are committed to meeting the acute shortage of affordable housing across the Perth and Kinross council area, and the Buy Back Scheme is helping to increase the supply of council housing available to meet waiting list demand.

Properties purchased through the Buy Back Scheme are typically allocated to existing council or housing association tenants who are living in overcrowded accommodation, under-occupying their home, or who require a specific type of property to meet a medical need. We are often able to create a vacancy chain to meet the needs of multiple households through the purchase of a single property.

We have made a short video about how the Buy Back Scheme works and how we performed during the financial year ending March 2021:

Is my property eligible?

The Council receives a lot of enquiries concerning the Buy Back Scheme but we are unable to purchase all of the properties that are put forward.

To be eligible for the Scheme, a property must be located within the Perth and Kinross council area and it must previously have been owned by Perth & Kinross Council (or one of its predecessors). 'Buy Backs' are therefore almost exclusively ex-council houses or flats that were originally sold under the Right to Buy scheme which operated in Scotland between 1980 and 2016.

Criteria which we factor are factored into our decision-making process on whether to make an offer to purchase include:

• The condition of the various elements that make up each property, such as the heating and hot water system, electrical installation, external fabric, windows and doors, kitchen fittings, and sanitary fittings, etc.
• The extent and estimated cost of any repairs, improvements or other alterations necessary for the property to meet the Council's lettable standard and the Scottish Housing Quality Standard.
• The energy efficiency of the property, as stated on the property's most recent Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).
• Whether a purchase would provide value for money for the Council.

How can I sell my property through the Buy Back Scheme?

Aspects of the process for selling a property to the Council are similar to selling on the open market.

The first step is to complete our enquiry form (Word doc, 77 KB) and return this to us at the email or postal address provided on the form. At this point we will carry out an initial assessment of the suitability of your property as a potential 'Buy Back'.

If our initial assessment is positive, we will ask you to provide us with a copy of an up-to-date Home Report. If we have no significant concerns with the content of the Home Report, we would then arrange for our Buy Back Surveyor to undertake a brief survey or viewing of your property. We would then be able to make a decision, based on the above criteria, on whether or not to make an offer to purchase your property. The Council is not under any obligation to make an offer, and likewise there is no obligation for Scheme applicants to accept any offer that the Council may make.

Sellers accepting an offer from the Council should appoint a solicitor or licensed conveyancer to handle the transaction on their behalf. Sellers are responsible for their own legal fees.

Further information

 If you would like further information on the scheme contact our Buy Back Surveyor by email at buybacks@pkc.gov.uk.