Solicitors on the Help to Buy panel
The Homes and Communities Agency (the HCA) operates an initiative called Help to Buy by which assistance is provided to enable qualifying applicants to buy a new build property on a new development. It is intended to help applicants by providing a stepping stone on to the property market or by allowing those selling their existing home to access a new property. It is intended to allow purchasers to access mortgage funding at a lower loan to value ratio than might otherwise be possible. The Agency operates Help to Buy for the whole of England.
A qualifying applicant (the Buyer) currently includes:
• those that are intending to be owner/occupiers (the properties cannot be bought for investment purposes);
• those that have satisfied the eligibility conditions as assessed by the Help to Buy Agent;
• those that are obtaining a first ranking mortgage (from a qualifying lending institution) for the maximum amount which he/she is able to afford on usual terms and is likely to be sustainable by them; and
• applicants who do not (or will not at the point of purchase of the Help to Buy property) possess any interest in any other dwelling.
The HCA provides the assistance to the buyer by making a payment at the buyer’s direction and with the buyer’s agreement directly to the Provider (on a property by property basis). The buyer’s obligation to pay the full purchase price for the property is then satisfied by paying a lower reduced purchase price and entering into an Equity Mortgage in favour of the HCA. The total deduction in price will represent up to 20% of the total purchase price of the home that is being acquired if the property is outside the London Area. Where the property is inside the London Area, the contribution percentage will represent up to 40% of the purchase price. The full purchase price must not exceed £600,000.00.
Accordingly, the maximum contribution will be £120,000 from the HCA where the Property is outside the London Area. Where the Property is inside the London Area, the maximum contribution will be £240,000.00 from the HCA. Exact figures would be provided for each property.
For more information, please contact the HCA, your mortgage lender and/or your mortgage broker. We have extensive experience in dealing with help to buy loans but we aren’t permitted to provide financial advice.
You need to ensure that your solicitor is on the panel for both the HCA/Help to Buy Agency AND your first qualifying mortgage lender as the HCA do not permit the solicitors to act if they are not on the panel for your first mortgage lender (they do not permit dual representation).
If you need a solicitor to act for you who is Conveyancing Quality Accredited and on the Help to Buy panel, please call us on 0207 183 0084 or email us on property@olaleslie.com for a fixed fee conveyancing quotation; we are always happy to assist.
Ayesha Leslie, Partner
Ola Leslie Solicitors
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The contents of this page are intended for general information purposes only and shall not be deemed to be, or constitute legal advice. We cannot accept responsibility for any loss as a result of acts or omissions taken in respect of this page.
We are CQS accredited conveyancing solicitors, help to buy solicitors, bridging loan solicitors, new build solicitors, shared ownership solicitors, right to buy solicitors, remortgage solicitors, equity release solicitors and transfer of equity solicitors in Borough High Street, London Bridge, Southwark, SE1.