First Homes

The Council (The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead) has defined the Local Connection Criteria as a person that has a local connection with the district of a local housing authority if they have a connection with it –

1. because they are, or in the past were, normally resident there, and that residence is or was of their own choice,
2. because they are employed there
3. because of family associations, or
4. because of special circumstances

The criteria to be eligible to use the First Homes scheme at Ashmere are as follows:

1. A purchaser (or, if a joint purchase, all the purchasers) of a First Home should be a first-time buyer.
2. Purchasers of First Homes should have a combined annual household income not exceeding £80,000.
3. A purchaser of a First Home should have a mortgage to fund a minimum of 50% of the discounted purchase price.
4. Purchasers are to live within the Dartford area or are Armed Forces service Personnel with a connection to the Dartford area. 

The criteria to be eligible to use the First Homes scheme at Beaulieu are as follows:

• Only available to first-time buyers (if a joint purchase, all purchasers need to be first time buyers)
• Maximum household income of £80,000 per annum
• Priority one - those who already live or work in the Chelmsford City Council area or essential workers OR all active members of the armed forces, divorced, separated spouses of civil partners of the armed forces, spouses/partners of deceased members of the armed forces who died in service or veterans who left the armed forces in the last 5 years.
• A purchaser of a First Home should have a mortgage to fund a minimum of 50% of the discounted purchase price.
• You'll need funds to pay a £500 reservation fee, solicitor fees and moving costs.
• Please note, you can only sell the property to someone who is eligible to buy a First Home.

The criteria to be eligible to use the First Homes scheme at Countryside at Tattenhoe are as follows:

• Only available to first-time buyers (if a joint purchase, all purchasers need to be first time buyers)
• Maximum household income of £80,000 per annum
• A purchaser of a First Home should have a mortgage to fund a minimum of 50% of the discounted purchase price.
• You'll need funds to pay a £500 reservation fee, solicitor fees and moving costs.
• Please note, you can only sell the property to someone who is eligible to buy a First Home.

If the First Home is being bought by more than one individual all purchasers must be first-time buyers. First Time Buyers must not have (either alone or with others):

• previously acquired via purchase, gift, trust or inheritance a major interest in a dwelling or an equivalent interest in residential land situated anywhere in the world; and/or
• benefited from any form of sharia mortgage finance.

On the rare occasions where only one half of a couple is eligible for a mortgage, the local authority will consider giving approval to use the scheme on a case-by-case basis.

Not typically, if you wish to rent out your home you will need to receive permission from the local authority and your mortgage lender. Lodgers are allowed but only if the home remains your sole residence.

Once you own your First Home, it is up to you decorate and update as you see fit. However, you will need to keep to any planning rules, leasehold restrictions and terms of your mortgage that may apply.

Members of the Armed Forces and veterans that have left the forces within the last five years are exempt from meeting any local connection or key worker criteria. Bereaved spouses and civil partners of service men and women whose deaths were wholly or partly a result of their service are also exempt. However, the first-time buyer status and household income criteria will still need to be met.

No, the Help to Buy scheme cannot be used in conjunction with the First Homes scheme. They are both provided as alternative ways for first time buyers to get onto the property ladder.

However if you have a Help to Buy ISA or a Lifetime ISA you can put this towards the purchase a First Home as long as the purchase also complies with the rules of the ISA schemes. 

The ISA schemes have price caps, which are currently:

• Help to Buy ISA:  £250,000 (£450,000 in London)
• Lifetime ISA:  £450,000

For a First Home purchase, these caps would apply to the price of the home after the discount has been applied.

First Homes must be sold to eligible first-time buyers at the discount you purchased the home at. If this was a 30% discount, this is also the amount you will have discount your home by compared to its open market value at the time you are selling. This ensures the benefit you received when you bought the home gets passed on to the next generation.

A valuer accredited by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) must be selected to assess the market value of your home, they will then apply the same discount that was available when you initially bought the home.

You will also need to ask the local authority for approval to sell the property and share the eligibility criteria that you had to meet when you purchased the home with the estate agent. The rest of the selling process is the same as any other home.

Further details can be found in the Customer Guide.