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The Right to Buy scheme offers eligible council and housing association tenants a fantastic opportunity to buy their home at a significant discount. Turning your tenancy into property ownership is a major life milestone, but securing a mortgage using a public sector discount involves specific lender requirements, property type criteria, and strict paperwork deadlines. At Echo Finance, our dedicated advisers simplify the process, guiding you from your initial Section 125 Offer Notice right through to completion.
Read on to learn more about how our specialist Right to Buy mortgage brokers operate, what sets their expertise apart, and key details regarding discounts, deposits, and eligibility.
What is a Right to Buy mortgage broker?
A Right to Buy mortgage broker is a mortgage adviser with specialist expertise in tenant purchase schemes. They focus specifically on helping council and housing association tenants navigate the financial process of purchasing their rented home using their statutory Right to Buy or Right to Acquire discount.
Because Right to Buy mortgages have unique features - such as using the government discount in place of a traditional cash deposit, handling joint applications with family members, and dealing with non-standard property construction - they require expert handling. A dedicated Right to Buy broker assesses your financial profile, reviews your Section 125 notice, and matches you with lenders that offer the best terms for your specific circumstances.
Do you need a broker for Right to Buy?
No. The Right to Buy scheme is open to all mortgage applicants, regardless of whether they are using a broker or approaching a lender directly. There are, however, advantages to using a mortgage adviser who specialises in the scheme, such as…
It can be faster since your broker knows the scheme and how to apply for it
The potential for exclusive, broker-only deals that can save you money
Access to a wider range of Right to Buy mortgage lenders for extra product choice
Bespoke advice about using the Right to Buy discount as a deposit
A complete rundown of Right to Buy alternatives and how they compare
So, while using a broker when applying for Right to Buy is not mandatory, consulting with one beforehand can help you save time, money and potential disappointment.
What makes Right to Buy mortgage brokers different?
What sets a Right to Buy mortgage broker apart is their deep understanding of how mortgage lenders treat local authority discounts and public sector paperwork. While some high street lenders require a cash deposit on top of the discount or restrict lending on certain council flats and maisonettes, specialist brokers know exactly which lenders accept the discount as a full 100% deposit.
A specialist broker has direct access to lenders who actively support tenant purchases. They understand the strict timeframes associated with responding to local authority notices, how to navigate bad credit or low income issues, and how to structure borrowing if you wish to raise additional funds for essential home repairs at the same time.
Connect with a Right to Buy specialist
Meet our Right to Buy mortgage advisers
All of the mortgage brokers are able to arrange Right to Buy mortgages, but some members of our team specialise in first-time buyers and the government schemes open to them.
Some of our brokers who specialises in Right to Buy include:
Our director and co-founder has a track record helping first-time buyers and is well versed in government schemes, including right to Buy.
Neil is our head of sales but still actively advises our customers. He has worked in the industry for more than 25 years, which has resulted in his gaining plenty of experience with mortgage schemes.
Jim is an adviser development manager at Echo Finance, who still actively advises our Right to Buy customers. With more than 40 years experience, Jim can help place straightforward cases as well as complex applications that involve bad credit or non-standard income.
Many other members of the Echo team can deliver Right to Buy mortgage advice. Use our broker directory to learn more about our team and find your local adviser.
What kind of reviews do our Right to Buy mortgage brokers have?
We pride ourselves on offering clear, supportive, and accessible guidance to tenants transitioning to homeownership, and our client feedback reflects our high standards. Echo Finance holds a 5.0 rating on Google, supported by hundreds of reviews from satisfied clients across the UK.
Our Right to Buy specialists are consistently praised for their patience, jargon-free advice, and ability to handle complex paperwork seamlessly. Whether clients are buying a home they have lived in for decades or purchasing jointly with family members to improve affordability, our reviews highlight our commitment to securing hassle-free mortgage approvals.
Speak to a Right to Buy mortgage broker today
If you have received your Section 125 notice or are considering exercising your Right to Buy, we are here to help.
At Echo Finance, we offer a free, no-obligation initial consultation. This allows us to review your discount offer, assess your affordability, and explain your borrowing options clearly before you make any commitments.
Call us today on 08000 934914 or submit an enquiry through our website to connect with one of our Right to Buy mortgage specialists right away.
FAQs
In most cases, no. The majority of Right to Buy lenders allow you to use your statutory discount as your entire deposit. For example, if your property is valued at £150,000 and you receive a £50,000 discount, lenders view the £100,000 loan as a 66% Loan-to-Value (LTV) mortgage.
Find your local adviser
- Residential mortgages: Everything from fixed-rate to tracker mortgages for first-time buyers, homemovers and remortgage borrowers
- Specialist mortgages: For borrowers who fall outside of standard lending criteria, including people with bad credit, self-employed professionals and more
- Later-life lending: Including advice on equity release, mortgages for pensioners and retirement interest only (RIO) mortgages
- Bridging & Commercial: We have specialist advisors on hand for commercial mortgages, bridging loans, development finance and more
- Insurance & Protection: Including life, home and critical illness cover for families and individuals, as well as landlord and business protection insurance
Echo Finance is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and is reviewed annually by an independent compliance company. All of our brokers and advisers hold industry-standard qualifications, such as CeMAP, CeRER and DipMap, where required.
We are committed to providing advice through the channels that best suit your needs. Our brokers can provide advice via phone, email, video and web chat from anywhere in the UK, but we also aim to offer face-to-face appointments for those who request them.