Community right to buy: review

Closes 5 Oct 2025

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Third-party purchasers

The Right to Buy Land to Further Sustainable Development includes the option for community groups to nominate a third-party purchaser to exercise the right to buy (if granted). The policy objective here was to help address the issue of communities not having the expertise to take forward a project (such as affordable housing) themselves, but which (for example) a housing association would be able to deliver on their behalf.

There is no requirement for that third-party purchaser to adhere to any type of structure, to have any form of agreement in place with the community group, nor any business case for future of the asset.

11 . Should third party purchasers remain an option under the compulsory rights to buy?
12. If third party purchasers remain an option, should requirements be placed on the structure of the third party purchaser for it to be eligible, for example in line with the compliance requirements placed on community group applicants?
13. Should the third-party purchaser be required to have an agreement in place with the community body that shows the future relationship between the two and any business plan in place for the asset, as part of the application?