Ryedale District Council is working with Rentplus-UK to offer seven 2- and 3-bedroomed houses on the Wainds Field Development in Kirkbymoorside. All have private gardens and two allocated parking spaces.
Banks and building societies are demanding ever higher deposits to secure mortgages, which remain unaffordable for many.
According to Zoopla, the average price for property in Kirkbymoorside stood at £281,029 in 2021 and terraced houses £199,100.
First time buyers would need to save over £25,000 to secure a mortgage and pay the fees most building societies demand, leaving many local residents, particularly key and essential workers on lower incomes, unable to buy their own home.
The Rentplus scheme allows for prospective buyers to move into a brand new home without the need for any deposit, with a view to them purchasing that home in the future.
Rentplus is a national award winning rent-to-buy scheme which sees tenants rent their home for five to 20 years at an affordable rate whilst using that time to save towards their future mortgage deposit and build a good credit rating.
They move in with zero deposit and pay rent to a Housing Association: their rent includes all repairs to the property until they purchase.
At the end of the agreed term, they purchase 100% of their home, at which point, Rentplus gifts them 10% of the purchase price towards their savings.
Phillip Spurr, Programme Director for Place and Resources at Ryedale District Council, said: “Ryedale District Council is pleased to be working with Rentplus on their first rent to buy homes in Yorkshire.
“The scheme offers Ryedale citizens an affordable route to homeownership at a time when house prices have become prohibitive for some.
“I would encourage anyone interested in the properties to make an application to Rentplus.”
Steven Collins, CEO at Rentplus, said: “Affordability is a growing issue across the country. Rentplus is really making a difference, turning renters into homeowners.
“This is our first scheme in Yorkshire and we’re very excited to be working with Ryedale District Council to help the area’s working families onto an affordable pathway to homeownership without the need for the upfront deposit.”
Jason Lewis, director at Cicero Estates added: “Cicero Estates are very excited to be working with Rentplus on our Windmill View development, Wainds Field, Kirkbymoorside and totally support the need to meet local housing needs for aspiring future homeowners with the rent to buy scheme. The development of 32 x 2-, 3- and 4-bedroom houses offers an exciting mix of traditionally built detached, semi-detached, and terraced housing of which 7 x dwellings are dedicated to Rentplus for their Rent to Buy offer. “
The rents for the two and three bed homes will be between £520 and £600 a month.
Applicants must be able to demonstrate a local connection to the Ryedale District Council area and must be working and/or in education or training with aspirations to buy their own home within a 5, 10, 15 or 20 year period.
Applications will close on 4 February 2022. For more information email [email protected] or call 01908 738400.
Rentplus is looking for more councils, developers and housing associations to work with across the north east. More information on rentplus-uk.com or watch Turning Renters into Homeowners.