Housing: Your rights

Buying property

General rights applicable to all purchasers of property are not covered on this website, and we refer you to the Community Legal Service publication Buying and Selling Property.

Purchasers of properties in retirement complexes that include shared facilities and/or services generally have specific rights as defined in their Lease.
Additional protection for purchasers in England is provided by a Code of Practice drawn up by the Association of Retirement Housing Managers (ARHM).

You have the right to apply for housing from your local council regardless of your circumstances.
Each council must also publish an ‘allocation scheme’ which explains who gets priority for their housing.
If you are homeless or under threat of it, your local council must provide help, though not always a home.
If you are already a council or housing association tenant and want to move, you generally have the right to exchange your home with another tenant. You also have the right to information about the likelihood of your landlord arranging a move for you.
If you are unhappy with a local council or housing association decision, you have the right to challenge it.

Agencies are regulated by law governing charges and taking deposits. Most new lettings nowadays are on assured shorthold tenancies which offer only very limited security of tenure.
There is only one agency that offers privately rented retirement housing; its lettings are generally offered on more secure assured tenancies.