buying "local authority" houses if not tenant

[baskey]

Ok, can the council 'legally' sell one of their council houses to someone who just approaches them and asks to buy it or can they only sell them, at a discount, to the tenants..?

often dolites seem to moan about old council houses which are often well located for 'young professionals', so why not build new houses for the council house people and let the private sector renovate..

(i know para 2 is a discussion topic but could people address para 1 cos i am interested in this..!)

[baskey]

doesn't anybody know the answer?

i have identified a house that has a bit of potential and it just got me thinking that was all...

[RichardD]

Do a google for "right to buy council house".

I did search for similar info earlier this year, but don't have any links to hand.

I think the short answer is no, as people would be buying up all the houses they could for guaranteed profit. In order to purchase you need to have lived at whatever address for x years. The longer x is the greater the discount offered. There are probably clauses so once purchased the property cannot be sold immediately too....

A friend once said that his grandparents offered him their house at a huge discount (since they had lived there a long time), did I think it was a good idea. After giving him a funny look told him yes. He's now got a house that otherwise he would have not been able afford.

[puffpuff]

'Council houses' are often owned by housing associations rather than councils. AFAIK they would only be sold to tenants under the right to buy scheme.