Help to own your home

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Mortgage Guarantee Scheme - 95% Mortgages

A scheme to help first time buyers and current homeowners to secure a mortgage with a 5% deposit.  The scheme, for those who meet lenders' criteria, will provide buyers with the opportunity to buy a property worth up to £600,000.  The scheme is available from participating lenders on high streets across the country.

The scheme will run from April 2021 to December 2023. 

Visit www.ownyourhome.gov.uk/scheme/mortgage-guarantee-scheme for more information.

Deposit Unlock Scheme

A scheme devised in collaboration with lenders and the housebuilding industry.  It enables first time and existing homeowners to purchase a new build with a 5% deposit.  More details can be found at the Deposit Unlock website

Shared Ownership

How it works

  • shared ownership schemes (part buy/part rent) offers you the chance to buy a share of your home through a housing association - you buy a share of your home (between 10% and 75% of the home’s value) and pay rent on the remaining share
  • you can buy bigger shares at a later stage when you can afford to, of up to 100% (full ownership) except in some rural areas
  • you can buy a new build or an existing property through resale programmes from housing associations
  • you will need to take out a mortgage to pay for your share of the home’s purchase price, or fund this through your savings

Eligibility

  • your household must earn £80,000 a year or less
  • you are a first time buyer (or used to own a home but can’t afford to buy one now)
  • some shared ownership schemes within South Gloucestershire will give priority consideration to residents of Bristol and South Gloucestershire
  • priority is also given to people who rent a council or housing association property and Armed Forces personnel
  • some shared ownership schemes in South Gloucestershire Council have specific eligibility criteria, for example people purchasing shared ownership homes within ExtraCare schemes may be required to have identified care needs that can be met by the ExtraCare housing scheme

How to apply for shared ownership schemes

To buy a home in South Gloucestershire through a shared ownership scheme, or to find more information on shared ownership schemes visit the GOV.UK website on Shared ownership homes.

For advice on the process of buying a home through shared ownership, or eligibility, contact:

Email: SharedOwnershipSouth@homesengland.gov.uk

Tel: 0800 456 11 88 

Home ownership schemes

The following home ownership schemes are also available:

Home ownership for people with long-term disabilities (HOLD)

If you have a long-term disability, HOLD could help you to buy a home, on a shared ownership basis, which is for sale on the open market and is suitable for your needs. You can apply for HOLD if properties available through the other home ownership schemes don’t meet your needs, e.g. you need a ground-floor property

Older peoples shared ownership

  • this works in the same way as the general shared ownership scheme, but you can only buy up to 75% of your home - once you own 75% you won’t have to pay rent on the remaining share
  • you must be aged 55 or over

Preserved right to buy

If you were a secure council tenant and were living in your home when it was transferred from the council to another landlord (such as a housing association), you may have the ‘Preserved’ right to buy. Your landlord will be able to tell you if you have the Preserved right to buy

Right to acquire

Right to acquire allows most housing association tenants to buy their home at a discount (dependent on area) and applies only to properties funded since 1996. You can apply to buy your home if you have lived there for three years, it is self-contained, and is your only or main home. Your landlord will be able to tell you if you have the Right to acquire.

Social homebuy

Some housing associations offer the social homebuy scheme.  You can buy a share of your housing association home and pay rent on the rest of it, subject to meeting certain criteria.  You get a discount on the value of your home depending on your area and the share you are buying.  You can buy more shares in the property until you own 100%. Check with your housing association to see if your home is eligible

Forces Help to Buy

Regular serving personnel can get an advance 50% of their annual salary (to a maximum of £25,000) interest free, repayable over 10 years, to contribute towards a deposit, solicitor's and estate agent's fees. Detailed information is available through the Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) portal.   

First homes

A scheme to help local first time buyers and key workers get onto the property ladder by offering homes at a discount of 30% to 50% compared to the market price. Visit the Own your own home website for more information.