Help to Buy

One of the biggest issues facing the young in Rother Valley is getting on to the first step of the housing ladder. 75% of all properties in Rother Valley are privately owned - and the average house value is £195,000.

While the Help to Buy ISA scheme is due to expire at the end of November - there is also a less well known scheme in existence to provide a Help to Buy Loan on new build properties - where the builder is registered to the scheme.

I would campaign to extend this scheme to include ALL new build properties - and to assist first time buyers with a loan of 10% of the property price to fund their deposit - and to extend that loan over the first 10 years of the mortgage with just a token interest rate of 1%. Loan to be settled in full when the house is sold.

Example: House cost £150,000, Deposit Loan of £15,000 - Monthly Deposit Loan payment of £126.50 added to mortgage payment

This move would not only get the housing market moving, it would encourage builders to build more affordable housing, and help our young people into their first homes.

PLEDGE: If elected I would campaign to make affordable housing easier to purchase for our young people.