Last week was Tree Care Week and Rentplus joined forces with local housing association, Greatwell Homes, to plant four cherry trees in Wellingborough. They were joined by children, parents and carers from the local Wellingborough Eco Group.
The new cherry trees are sited on a much used garage area onthe Queensway near Glamis Hall and will shortly blossom into pink and white blooms, providing a few weeks of colour, a season celebrated around the world.
Jo Savage, Chief Executive, at Greatwell Homes was joined by Executive Director, Chris Holloway and Board Member, Cheryl Armatrading. Jo said:
“Many years ago, this space was overgrown and unmaintained. After we identified areas that needed some TLC, our Greatwell Places team spent the week cutting it back and turning it into a useful space whilst keeping the existing trees, much to the delight of the nearby customers who also helped with the project.”
“It was so lovely to be able to add more life to a much-used area of the Queensway assisting with the Greatwell Homes’ mission of shaping places people are proud to call home.”
Steve Collins, Rentplus CEO added:
Rentplus is an affordable rent to buy provider, who has been working with Greatwell Homes for over eight years. Some of the customers who moved into Rentplus properties managed by Greatwell Homes with no deposit between 2017 and 2019 are now buying 100% of their home, helped by a 10% gifted sum from Rentplus to put towards their savings. The rental income Greatwell Homes received has helped to reinvest in existing homes to make sure they remain up to date, well maintained and suitable for people’s needs.
Steve added:
The partners are working together to deliver more affordable rent to buy in Northampton and Daventry.
It has been over seven years since we completed our first schemes in Dorset and Plymouth. To date, Rentplus has delivered over 600 homes on 37 different schemes with 10 housing provider partners across 27 different local authorities. Over 1,400 people now live in a Rentplus home.
Rentplus provides affordable rent to buy homes to key workers in our communities that would otherwise not have the opportunity to work towards owning their own home. The data shows that typical Rentplus occupants are likely to be hard-working couples in their late 20s or early 30s with children. They live on a below-average household income and will be a key or essential worker, working for the NHS, in Education, Retail or Manufacturing. They were living in existing social housing or the over-expensive private rented sector and were unable to save for a deposit. Many were on the local authority housing waiting list but were unlikely to be provided with an affordable home due to their level of housing need.
Many in social housing turned down the chance to effect their Right to Buy because they did not like the home they had been living in, or it was not in the right area. They chose to give this up to move to a brand new home in an area they liked. All have a real passionate aspiration to own their own home, but their pathway was blocked because they didn’t have a deposit and little or no spare income to save towards one.
Rentplus gives families a real chance by providing them with the quality home they need now when they need it most, and in the area where they want to live. It gives them a real opportunity to save for a deposit while paying cheaper rent, and provides support from their local housing association to maximise their income and savings. With the benefit of the 10% gifted deposit from Rentplus when they come to buy their home.
Rentplus is an unique, real, and genuine opportunity for them to realise their aspiration and eventually own their own home – something that would have been impossible for many of our families any other way.
Rentplus is excited to be offering new affordable rent to buy homes in Tavistock, with beautiful overlooking views of the town. Successful applicants move in with no deposit and pay affordable rent, having the option to buy between 5 and 20 years with a 10% gifted sum from Rentplus. Phase 1 consists of 6 x 2 bedroom flats, with phase 2 following later in the year consisting of 3 x 2 bedroom houses and 4 x 3 bedroom houses.
Applicants must have been residing for 3 years or more in the West Devon Borough Council area.
For more information, see our full brochure here.
Rentplus is excited to be offering new affordable rent to buy homes for the first time in Havant in partnership with Havant Borough Council, Redrow homes and Winchester Housing Trust. Successful applicants move in with no deposit and pay affordable rent, having the option to buy between 5 and 20 years with a 10% gifted sum from Rentplus. There will be a total of 21 homes with the first 10 becoming available in March 2024 and the second phase expected in 2025.
Applicants must be registered on the Hampshire Home Choice and cannot be Portsmouth residents currently residing in Havant. For more information, see the full brochure here.
You can find more information here.
For the first time, Rentplus is offering affordable rent to buy homes in Northumberland, in partnership with Northumberland County Council.
Five 3 bed houses and four 2 bed apartments are to be offered for sale through the affordable rent to buy scheme in Tantallon Fields, Longframlington. They are built by Northumberland based developer, Tantallon Homes.
Rentplus removes the need for an upfront deposit for aspirant homeowners. Tenants move into the house they will buy. They pay no initial deposit and pay an affordable rent (which includes all repairs and service charges) for between 5 and 20 years whilst they save. When they are ready to buy, they receive a gifted sum of 10% from Rentplus towards their savings, and unlike Shared Ownership and other schemes such as First Homes, tenants will be buying 100% of their home.
Steve Collins, CEO of Rentplus explains why Rentplus is needed: “With the average semi-detached and terraced house price for buyers in Longframlington between £181,000 and £389,000, key and essential workers and other first time buyers on lower or middle incomes are locked out of home ownership as they are unable to save enough for a deposit, even though they could afford mortgage repayments.
“Our affordable rent to buy homes provide a much more accessible route onto the housing ladder for those on lower and middle incomes than Shared Ownership as it doesn’t require any upfront deposit. Our scheme completely removes the deposit barrier, opening up home ownership to renters living or working in the area.
“Rentplus turns local renters into homeowners.”
Northumberland County Councillor Colin Horncastle, cabinet member for Looking after the Environment added: “It is wonderful to see these quality new homes being provided to help local people move towards home ownership.
“We know many people aspire to buy their own home but are unable to save up enough for a deposit as their wages are absorbed with rent and bills.
“It’s a vicious cycle.
“The Rentplus model is unique, and forward thinking and is another boost for affordable housing in Northumberland which will be life changing for those tenants who move into these properties.”
Developer Craig McClenn commented: “Tantallon Homes are proud to work in partnership with Rentplus to provide high quality affordable housing in the stunning village of Longframlington.
“It is very important to Tantallon Homes that local people have access to a mixture of tenure properties that are within budget not only in the initial rental or mortgage costs but also going forward with monthly utility and maintenance expenses. All our properties are built to a high standard and incorporate and comply with the latest energy efficiency products and regulations.”
Funded by institutional investment, new homes are bought from developers either as part of their affordable housing agreement or outside of it. By injecting additional private funding into the affordable housing sector, councils can focus existing grant funding on delivering more homes for social rent.
Nearly 60 local authorities are already offering Rentplus across the country with the majority of Rentplus residents being key or essential workers. All have a local connection, living and working locally. The first tenants moved into homes in the south west in 2016 and in 2021, all the homes in the five year plan were purchased by residents, buying 100% of their home. When the 10% sum from Rentplus was added to their savings, some had over 20% equity in their home from day one,
Rentplus is currently working to identify more new developments in Northumberland to offer more affordable rent to buy homes.
To register an interest or find out more about the Rentplus affordable rent to buy homes in Longframlington, email [email protected].
Are you looking for a home in Wisbech?
Rentplus now has two 2-bed properties and three 3-bed properties now available in Wisbech, with affordable rents between £620pcm and £740pcm. Move in with no deposit – you must have a connection to the local area such as work, family or currently living there. Have the option to purchase your home between year 5 and 20 with a 10% gifted sum from Rentplus.
Download the PDF brochure here.
To register your interest please email [email protected] or call 01908 738464.
Full-time Housing Officer based in Milton Keynes (hybrid working available)
We are looking for a passionate and dedicated Housing Officer to join us on this exciting adventure! If you’re passionate about great customer service, making a positive impact, enjoy working in a dynamic environment, and are excited about the prospect of helping others achieve their homeownership dreams, we’d love to hear from you.
As a Housing Officer, you will play a pivotal role in managing housing-related services by assessing needs, facilitating accommodation allocation with contractors, ensuring compliance with tenancy agreements, addressing anti-social behaviour, and contributing to the overall well-being of the community. This position requires a strong blend of customer service, business management, administrative, and interpersonal skills.
View the full job specification here.
Application close 31st August 2023. To apply, please email your CV to [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you!
Do you dream of owning your own home in Wisbech but unable to save a deposit? Saving for a deposit can seem like the most difficult part of buying a house. Rentplus has a solution that might be right for you.
We are very excited to announce our newest scheme. We have newly built properties on a beautiful new development in Wisbech. There will be 23 Rentplus affordable rent to buy homes: initially, just 4 are available with the rest to follow.
Rentplus is designed for individuals and families who aspire to home ownership. Prospective applicants must be employed, pursuing education or training, and demonstrate a strong desire to purchase their own home. Successful applicants move into a brand new home and no deposit is required when you move in, just one month’s rent in advance.
For the first five years, tenants pay a subsidised affordable rent, or the Local Housing Allowance if lower. Rent includes all service charges and repairs and are set in consultation with the council. They are typically 20% cheaper than local open market rents. This allows people time to clear debts, build a strong credit rating and start to save to buy their home.
When tenants buy, Rentplus gifts 10% of the market value towards your savings. And our aspirant homeowners are buying 100% of your home – no staircasing or additional fees, unlike shared ownership and other schemes.
The first phase becoming available is;
2 x 2-bedroom houses
2 x 3-bedroom houses
We allow under-occupation by one bedroom.
The priority order for allocation is;
1. Existing Social Housing tenants living in the Fenland district area/ and those households who are at risk of homelessness
2. Applicants currently on the Council’s housing register
3. Applicants eligible for housing who have a local connection to The Council district.
Applications from Key and Essential workers or Armed Forces personnel are welcomed.
Please register your interest by emailing [email protected] or calling 01908 738464. For more information, please see our PDF flyer here.
The startling revelation that two thirds of UK councils built no new housing last year is a wake-up call for all of us invested in resolving the housing crisis. Over 1.2 million families are currently waiting on council lists for a place to call home. Despite this pressing need, it seems housing development continues to stall due to funding constraints and financial restrictions.
In this context, Rentplus is uniquely positioned to help. We are backed by institutional funding which allows us to partner with councils and housing associations to deliver affordable rent-to-buy homes. Our model offers a viable and immediate solution to accelerate the delivery of much-needed housing.
Just weeks ago, it was reported that £1.9bn, intended to combat England’s housing crisis, was returned unused to the Treasury. We must question the disconnect between the pressing need for homes and the availability of funds. It is imperative that these resources are effectively channelled into sustainable housing solutions.
The Local Government Association’s call for a “genuine renaissance in council house building” echoes our vision at Rentplus. We fully support the creation of a national task force to back councils in their efforts to provide homes. The retention of receipts from Help to Buy could potentially provide a useful source of funding to further this aim.
Now is the time to shift from conversation to action. At Rentplus, we are ready to engage in partnerships that can effectively utilise available funding, deliver affordable homes, and make a significant difference to those waiting for a home. Let’s build a brighter, more secure housing future together.
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