Council House Purchase/Valuation

[Pippa68]

A family member is planning to buy his council house. He has significantly improved it (extension, central heating, new kitchen).

He says the house will be valued as it stood before he moved in. I reckon that this is wrong, and that the house would have to be valued on it's current state. Who is right?

[aims500]

The house will be valued from when he moved in. The surveyor will only take into account the way the house first was before he made any alterations. I only know this because my partners brother recently applied to buy his council house and the original state of the property was taken into consideration only.

[Pippa68]

Righty oh, thanks for that ~ I shall shut up, then :o)

[curiousity]

best thing to do is get an estate agent or two around - get a market valuation of them, and at least you will know wether or not the council is valuing it as it is or as it was......thats what i did a few years back just to reassure myself. good luck. also keep a diary of dates etc as i got mucked about big time by the council - meanwhile i was still paying full rent.....

[buildersmate]

But what about when the Council have upgraded kitchens and bathrooms, as they do infrequently with their housing stock?

[Mrs_Pegasus]

I know someone who recently went to buy their council house and it was valued at the market price. They are entitiled to a discount due to their tenancy but I am sure it has to be done at the market rate. They cant be seen to be reducing their housing stock at a loss - it wouldnt make sense!

[Pippa68]

Thanks for your answers, guys.

I have to say I am perplexed...why would the council sell the house at a value without upgrade? the person who wishes to buy the house was told at the start that any improvements they make are at their own cost. I told them that I would be wary of improving at such an extent as it has cost them thousands ~ and it isn't even their house.

The council have not paid for any improvements at all. Surely it would be in the councils best interests to rent the property out at a rental price to match the improvements...or even sell the house at current market value with improvements included?