Don’t miss out on the latest developments

New research shows seven out of 10 people living in Leeds want to see more support to help key workers onto the housing ladder. Yorkshire and the North East area manager for Rentplus, Alasdair Manson, talks about the recent Rentplus push to offer affordable rent to buy in the region.

Commenting on the Government’s Social Housing White Paper Rentplus CEO Steve Collins said: " Social housing is a stepping stone to home ownership and I welcome the Government’s recognition of that within the White Paper."

Rentplus is seeking confirmation from the Government that it is clear for local authorities in planning guidance that the Rentplus model may be included both in the affordable rent category and the other affordable routes to home ownership category. This would provide them with flexibility to meet the different housing needs in their area. For example, many families may require an affordable rented home now, but have a long-term ambition to buy. This is no different from the Right to Buy or the new Right to Shared Ownership.

Steve Collins, chief executive officer at Rentplus, talking about housing during Covid, said: “Beyond the headlines of a “housing boom”, there lies a divided housing market, where those on lower incomes are increasingly shut out and struggling to get on the property ladder.

Research conducted by Rentplus, the affordable rent-to-buy provider, has revealed the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on aspiring homeowners.

“The ‘Changes to the current planning system’ consultation closed at midnight last night. As the consultation itself notes, 87% of people would prefer to own a home given a choice. However, barriers to home ownership such as high deposits and high prices mean that far too many people, and keyworkers especially, are still denied this opportunity.

Priya Vadgama has this week joined Rentplus as the growing affordable rent to buy provider’s new Midlands Area Manager.

Covid-19 gives Rentplus the opportunity to expand support to partners ensuring affordable housing for key workers

Secretary of State for Housing, @RobertJenrick this week announced a new model for Shared Ownership to help more people onto the property ladder. Rentplus chief executive, Steve Collins, responds:

"Reform to the planning system is long overdue, however this must not come at the expense of the urgent need to improve the supply of quality homes for those on lower incomes – many of whom are the key workers who have seen us through the Covid-19 crisis", says Rentplus CEO Steve C0llins.

Rentplus is to offer award-winning no deposit, affordable rent to buy properties for the first time in Hampshire. The houses will be on the Taylor Wimpey Dukes Quarter housing development in Whitehill & Bordon.

Rentplus – the award winning route to home ownership for those on low or middle incomes - has new, affordable rent-to-buy homes in Berkshire for the first time. The scheme offers a no deposit, affordable pathway to homeownership for working families on low or middle incomes in the area. It benefits those unable to save the large deposits required to access other types of housing, including shared ownership.

Rentplus, the affordable rent to buy provider, has seen a significant growth over the last quarter. This is largely due to diversifying the way it works, to support its local authority and Registered Provider partners.

A new report from The Social Mobility Commission which finds that Government home ownership schemes do not help people on lower incomes has been welcomed by a housing developer as evidence that there should be more support for alternative home ownership models that widen access to the market.

The current restrictions on people moving around has seen a slowing down in the housing market. But Coronovirus is not going to stop the Cox family from moving in to their brand new affordable rent to buy home. Rhea Cox, partner Craig, and their two children, Zachary, aged 7, and Evie, 18 months, took possession of their new home in Langport last week with a safe handover of keys. They're moving in today, doing all the removals - safely - themselves.

Rentplus, the leading provider of affordable rent-to-buy homes, and Winchester Housing Trust, are pleased to announce a new partnership to deliver affordable rent-to-buy houses in Hampshire for the first time. For Rentplus, the deal marks another big step in the journey to deliver its award winning affordable rent-to-buy homes in every English county.

First Homes will remain inaccessible to a large part of the population. Those who can afford First Homes will likely be those who can already save or rely on family support. It will further help the ‘haves’ but not the ‘have-nots’.

Rentplus has a quarter page feature in the Yorkshire Post, promoting the company's push into the North of England.

New homes at reduced rents give first-time buyers a chance to get on the housing ladder, says Rupert Jones, deputy editor of the Guardian's money section.

The debut Rentplus scheme, developed in partnership with Tamar Housing and Plymouth Council back in 2014, has welcomed new residents.

Rentplus is a finalist in the UK Housing Awards, for the second year running.

Thank you @businesslive and @PlymouthHerald for helping us celebrate our success in the National Housing Award's Most Innovative Home Ownership Solution. #NHA19.

Rentplus attended the Planning for Homes conference in London on 12 November.

Alasdair Manson is the second addition to Rentplus’s new Northern team and joins Rentplus today (4 November) as an Area Manager for the North of England. He will be working with housing developers, local authorities and councils in the region to offer affordable rent to buy to families in the north.

Sajjad Hussain is latest area manager to join Rentplus, expanding the reach of the business into the north of England.

Our housing association partner, Tamar Housing, is now accepting bids for our Rentplus two bedroom flat in Yeovil.

Rentplus is delighted to learn that it has won the National Housing Award in the Most Innovative Home Ownership Solution category.

Until May 2019, Northampton nurse, Nicole Richards had been living in privately rented houses for over five years, finding it impossible to save anything towards the deposit she needed to be able to buy her own home.

Rentplus-UK Limited has been named a finalist for its third award in a year.

Milton Keynes-based affordable rent to buy housing provider, Rentplus, has been shortlisted for the Innovator Partner award - part of the prestigious national 2019 UK Housing Awards.

We're thrilled to be a finalist in the 2019 UK Housing Awards. We are in the Innovator Partner of the Year category.

Five brand new three bedroom homes on the Barratt Homes development in Cullompton will shortly be available to aspirant home owners in Devon.

The Rentplus offices will be closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

A picturesque village in Fenland is the first in the East of England to offer local people the chance to get on the housing ladder, with Mayor James Palmer, hoping it’s the first of many.

A picturesque village in Fenland is the first in the East of England to offer local people the chance to get on the housing ladder, with Mayor James Palmer hoping it’s the first of many.

Rentplus' Woodbury rent to buy homes, offered through Cornerstone Housing, was awarded the runner-up award at the Devon Affordable Housing Awards.

Sedgemoor District Council Leader, Cllr Duncan McGinty, hailed the new development at Puriton Gate, saying: “The council is delighted to be associated with this housing project, which is helping the authority to realise its ambitious plans to accelerate the pace of home building across the district".

At the opening of the latest Rentplus rent to own property, in partnership with Tamar Housing, local MP Gary Streeter said that he thought the Rentplus should be rolled out across the UK to help the next generation become homeowners.

Our #SocialHousingGreenPaper response calls on Housing Minister @kitmalthouse @mhclg to issue guidelines to all #LocalAuthorities encouraging them to adopt new models of #AffordableHomeOwnership that delivers additional homes + widens access to home ownership #ukhousing @LGANews

We’d like to thank #LordNaseby for highlighting #AffordableRentToBuy in @UKHouseofLords alongside #sharedownership as a route onto the housing ladder for low/mid income aspirant home owners. Rent|Save|Own. http://bit.ly/2D91kfm

Ahead of the budget later this month, Rentplus is calling on the government to encourage local authorities to back privately funded models of affordable housing that can inject additional funding to deliver new homes at no cost to the public. This complements existing initiatives to increase access to home ownership and supports the government to meet its target of 300,000 new homes a year.

Rentplus is calling on the Government to encourage local authorities to back privately funded models of affordable housing that can inject additional fund-ing to deliver new homes at no cost to the public, complementing existing initi-atives to increase access to home ownership and support the Government to meet its target of 300,000 new homes a year.

The new Rentplus Milton Keynes office featured in MK's largest newspaper - the Citizen.

"To address the housing crisis, accelerating delivery is essential. So is introducing marketing disruptors, innovation and different funding sources, otherwise nothing will change", says Rentplus' CEO in The New Statesman.

"To address the housing crisis, accelerating delivery is essential. So is introducing marketing disruptors, innovation and different funding sources, otherwise nothing will change." See what Rentplus’ CEO Steve Collins has to say in the New Statesman today.

The Government should encourage local authorities to promote the development of alternative forms of affordable housing that are privately funded, to boost supply, says leading home ownership provider, Rentplus.

Rentplus has welcomed the Government’s revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published today by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (24 July 2018).

A visionary scheme to transform a derelict site in the heart of Ivybridge, at the former Butterpark care home, into a new ‘intergenerational living model’, is a first for the Devon town, and could be replicated in other parts of the UK, says property developer Richard Pillar.

A part of rural Devon is benefitting from an innovative scheme by Rentplus to deliver 7 affordable rent-to-buy homes at Meadow Haze, in the village of Woodbury, working in partnership with Cornerstone Housing who are managing the properties.

Rentplus, an innovative business delivering affordable rent to buy housing, and its South West regional partner Tamar Housing, are celebrating the completion of 12 new rent-to-buy homes as part of Persimmon Homes’ Chilmark Glade development at Shaftesbury in North Dorset, with an official launch on Friday 6th July, at 11am.

Rentplus, the leading provider of affordable rent-to-buy homes, and their partner Tamar Housing were delighted that Gary Streeter MP, a long-standing supporter of Rentplus, was able to formally open the first rent-to-buy development in his constituency at Redwood Heights, Plympton, along with the Lord Mayor of Plymouth, Councillor Wendy Foster.

After moving house on average every 18 months, the Hornsey family were sick of living out of boxes and ready to finally find somewhere they could call their own. However despite having a combined income of £35,000 and saving for a deposit for over five years, Damien, an Office Manager at a local electrical company, and his partner Kristy, a Care Worker, were not able to pull enough together to buy a home.

Rentplus, an innovative business delivering affordable rent to buy homes, and Tamar Housing, a leading housing association in the South West, today announce the construction of 12 new affordable rent to buy homes in Dorset. The new Rentplus homes will form part of Persimmon Homes’ Chilmark Glade development in Shaftesbury, in North Dorset.

Read the full report here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/662744/State_of_the_Nation_2017_-_Social_Mobility_in_Great_Britain.pdf

Rent to Buy allows aspiring homeowners to save for a deposit while putting down roots, but planning policy needs to encourage investment in the tenure, says Steve Collins of Rentplus.

Significantly increasing the construction of homes that can be made available as affordable rent-to-buy options could be the solution for the housing crisis experienced at the moment. The Government has an opportunity with the upcoming Autumn Budget to show that they are in support of this innovative solution.

Chris Chope MP (Conservative, Christchurch) yesterday called on the Government to include a specific definition of affordable rent to buy in the NPPF during his Ten Minute Rule Bill introduced to the House of Commons. The motion read:

Rentplus UK Ltd, the leading provider of affordable rent-to-buy homes, today announce the appointment of a new Chief Executive. Steve Collins has been appointed and takes up the new role with immediate effect. Steve has been hired to build on the business’ successes of the past three years as it charts a course for growth.

Richard Connolly, CEO Rentplus, discusses the place of institutional investment in the affordable housing sector, the importance of working collaboratively and the need to provide alternative housing options. Successive governments have stated that housing is a top priority, yet in two decades the UK has had 15 housing minsters, the numbers of homes being built has not kept pace with population needs and the cost of housing has spiraled.

In her closing speech at this week’s Conservative Party Conference, the Prime Minister promised to provide an extra £2 billion help fund the building of more council and housing association homes – but one specialist in affordable housing claims the government hasn’t gone far enough.

Rentplus, an innovative provider of rent-to-buy homes, and Tamar Housing, a leading housing association in the South West, announce the construction of 11 affordable rent-to-buy homes in North Tawton, West Devon. This new deal expands Rentplus’ presence in Devon to four rent-to-buy sites.

Rentplus, an innovative provider of affordable rent-to-buy homes, and King Street Housing Society (KSHS), a Cambridge based housing association, today announce the first affordable rent-to-buy homes in Cambridgeshire. The four new affordable rent-to-buy properties will form part of a 16 home development by Larkfleet Homes in Doddington, in the Fenland District Council area.

Rentplus, an innovative provider of affordable rent-to-buy homes, and Tamar Housing, a leading housing association in the South West, announce the first affordable rent-to-buy homes in the village of Sparkwell on the edge of Dartmoor National Park. This latest partnership between the two organisations means they are now working together to deliver affordable housing on six sites across Devon and this is the second scheme of theirs to benefit residents in South Hams.

Rentplus, the leading provider of affordable rent-to-buy homes, and Wellingborough Homestoday announce a new partnership to deliver the first affordable rent-to-buy houses in Northamptonshire. For Rentplus the deal marks the first step to fulfilling their ambition of delivering over 500 rent-to-buy homes in the county by 2020. Rentplus’ new homes will offer an affordable pathway to homeownership for working families in the area.

Rentplus are pleased to be sponsoring the LGA Conference at the ICC in Birmingham 4- 6 July 2017 and taking their message of Rentplus- Rent, Save, Own to a wider audience. Come and see us on Stand B13

Potentially £40 billion worth of private investment already up for grabs from 130 investors.

Rentplus, the leading provider of affordable rent-to-buy homes, and their partner Harrow Churches Housing Association (HCHA) were delighted that the Mayor of Bicester was able to formally open the first rent-to-buy development in at Stratton Park, Bicester, and welcome the tenants to their brand new homes.

Brand new Renplus homes in Saxon Fields, Cullompton are near completion. Built by Barratts, the 2 & 3 bedroom properties will be occupied in June 2017.

Homelessness and housing charity Shelter, has revealed that one in three renters on low wages need to borrow cash to pay their rent – data which once again throws into stark reality the severity of the affordable housing problem in England.

The proposals in the White Paper are to set out how the Government intends to boost housing supply and, over the long term, create a more efficient housing market whose outcomes more closely match the needs and aspirations of all households and which supports wider economic prosperity.

Residents in the South Hams are set to benefit from the first affordable rent-to-buy homes in the area, providing the opportunity for six local households to one day own their own home.

Given the UK Government has conceded the housing market is broken it is no surprise that we are suffering from a housing affordability crisis. The problem is particularly acute for our public sector key workers and local working households – the people who keep our towns and cities running. These are ordinary people, including nurses and teachers, who have endured sluggish pay growth while the cost of living has continued to spiral in recent years.

At Rentplus we fervently believe that rent-to-buy housing is a big part of the solution to fixing our broken housing market. Rent-to-buy is an innovative and affordable tenure that offers people who aspire to own their own home, an opportunity to fulfil their aspirations and get onto the property ladder.

Rentplus making inroads in Cambridgeshire and Oxfordshire

Richard Connolly CEO reflects on what was a really good year for Rentplus and the exciting opportunities that are opening up for Rentplus in 2017.

Rentplus, an innovative business providing rent-to-buy homes, and King Street Housing Society (KSHS), today announce a new partnership to deliver the first rent-to-buy houses in Cambridgeshire. For Rentplus the deal marks the first step to fulfilling their ambition of delivering over 1,000 affordable rent-to-buy homes in Cambridgeshire by 2020.

Rentplus and Harrow Churches Housing Association partner to deliver Oxfordshire’s first rent-to-buy scheme

As we rapidly head into the festive season, with people considering their hopes and aspirations for the Christmas period and the following year, we thought we would share some of our own wishes for the new Housing Policy White Paper due to be published in January. We hope the Government makes the most of this opportunity to inject more flexibility into UK housing policy so that their ambitious targets to build homes of all tenures are actually delivered by 2020.

Cambridge is a high-growth city. Home to the eponymous university, a burgeoning tech sector and rapidly increasing house prices. In the Autumn Statement the Chancellor announced that funds will be made available to revive the city’s ‘Varsity’ train line to Oxford and that there would be additional funding for housebuilding across the UK, which Cambridge Council is eyeing up.

Okehampton Open Event

Home ownership remains an important aspiration among the general public in the UK but is it a realistic one? Anecdotally, the answer to this probably varies depending on who you...

After 7 years stuck in the private rental sector in Stoke in Plymouth, the Rafiq family finally have a home to call their own. Muhammad Rafiq, a 46 year old engineer at an...

We agree with the Chancellor’s comments about the effect of unaffordable housing on productivity and delivery of much needed housing and his acknowledgement that “for too...

Having settled into new roles following a turbulent summer, Theresa May’s government has started to reveal its new approach to housing. While there hasn’t been a revolutionary overhaul in policy, there has been a welcome shift in sentiment, which indicates the government is embracing a flexible approach to the solution to the UK’s housing crisis.

The Local Government Association’s (LGA) Housing Commission recently published their preliminary findings on how to tackle the housing crisis. The Commission argues that councils will be able to deliver more homes which are appropriate for their areas, if they are given more authority to make housing and development decisions.

With reports that the government bonus from the Help to Buy ISA cannot be used to pay for a deposit on a home, the challenge of getting a first-foot on the the property ladder just got even harder. Potential first-time buyers already face an incredible struggle.

Moving away from monoculture: the change needed to tackle the housing crisis. By Richard Connolly, Rentplus CEO

We have been watching the government’s Starter Homes policy closely and are delighted that Housing Minister Gavin Barwell has indicated that it will have a broad definition which includes tenures other than home ownership. Richard Connolly CEO Rentplus told Property Week.

Rentplus secures funding for another innovative rent-to-own housing scheme at the Mannamead Centre site in Eggbuckland Road Plymouth where affordable flats will neighbour luxury five-bedroom houses at the site as part of the rent-to-own housing model developed in the city by Rentplus.

The Crestline Investors funding will be used to accelerate the delivery of affordable housing across the UK. We are already in contract to deliver homes in Cambridgeshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Essex, Suffolk, Northants, Devon, Somerset, South Hams, Sedgemoor, Plymouth and Bicester by March next year.

Fantastic news for people wanting to own their own homes, Rentplus is making home ownership even more of a reality with additional secured funding for properties across the country.

Lechlade properties now available! We're delighted to announce the practical completion of the first 2 three bed properties at Lechlade.

The Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has released its latest English Housing Survey – data which throws into stark relief the nature and extent of the...

Seven MPs gathered for an early meeting at Westminster at the start of July to hear about the growth of affordable rent-to-buy housing. A longstanding champion of rent-to-buy, Gary Streeter MP kindly hosted a breakfast briefing for us at Portcullis House on 6th July.

Richard Connolly, Chief Executive Officer at Rentplus, comments on the Local Government Association’s housing commission’s preliminary findings paper which was published today:...

“It is of course encouraging to see that the government’s Help to Buy equity loan scheme has helped tens of thousands of first-time buyers onto the property ladder over the last...

We’re delighted to announce the first practical completions of our Rentplus homes in Lechlade will be this August

When the Housing and Planning Bill emerged from parliamentary ping-pong and passed into law in May it was not the end of the story. The Department for Communities and Local...

Director of Programme Delivery; Finance Manager; and New Business/Project Manager

Last week the Royal Assent was given to the Housing and Planning Bill, passing what has been one of the most highly contested pieces of legislation ever into law. The Queen’s...

Come and visit us at the Housing Plymouth 2016 event on Saturday 18th June at the Royal Parade Piazza, Plymouth

We announced some fantastic news last week which is a significant milestone in our ongoing mission to deliver homes for working people to rent and ultimately own.

Two BAE Systems pension funds are investing in UK affordable housing provider Rentplus, with their in-house manager having approved an initial £35m investment (€44m) that may be followed by a further commitment of the same size

Rentplus-UK, the rent-to-buy homes provider, has secured up to £70m to help it deliver 580 homes out of its initial target to build 5,000 new affordable homes by 2020

Rentplus-UK, the rent-to-buy homes provider, has secured up to £70m from BAE Systems Pension Funds Investment Management to help it deliver 580 homes out of its initial target to build 5,000 new affordable homes by 2020

Rent-to-buy homes provider, Rentplus-UK Limited ('Rentplus'), has announced today that it has secured funding to help it deliver 580 homes out of its initial target to build 5,000 new affordable homes by 2020.

A business providing rent-to-buy homes has secured up to £70 million to help it deliver 580 new affordable units.

Millions of pounds from pension funds have been committed to an innovative company providing an affordable way to move from renting to homeownership...

Affordable housing provider Rentplus has secured up to £70m to help deliver 580 homes - out of its initial target to build 5,000 new affordable homes by 2020 writes Bill Tanner.

A new business aiming to build 5,000 affordable homes by 2020 has secured up to £70m in funding.

BAE Systems’ pension fund will invest £70 million in a fledgeling rent-to-buy housing provider that aims to build 8,500 affordable homes by 2020.

Brandon Lewis MP, Minister of State for Housing and Planning at the DCLG, visits Palmerston Heights in Plymouth

A Governement minister had given his backing to an innovative housing company formed in Plymouth and making a ‘step-change’ in the delivery of affordable housing nationally.

Read the full article in the Plymouth Herald at: http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/kind-homes-sale-Plymouth-bid-beat-housing-crisis/story-28647355-detail/story.html

Here are a few photo's from last week's site visit to Palmerston Heights in Plymouth. The first completions are due on Friday 22nd January.

Housing Company Announces 33 Affordable Homes for Aspiring Homeowners

DCLG announces consultation on planning changes to boost opportunities for thousands of families to get on the housing ladder

Palmerston Heights development of 139 homes built to tackle Plymouth’s housing shortage

Rent-to-buy housing company plans to deliver 5,000 affordable homes by 2020

Further details about the Puriton public consultation meeting: Friday 5 June, 5 – 7pm

A new rent-to-own housing model that will give thousands of tenants their first step onto the housing ladder has been launched with plans to deliver 5,000 affordable homes across England by 2020.

Work is about to start on a new development of nearly 30 homes on the site of a former community centre, including affordable and energy efficient homes.