The Nettleham

The costs involved in a Rent to Buy scheme are similar to that of the traditional letting process. The upfront costs are as follows:

Deposit: You will have to pay the equivalent of five weeks rent as a deposit, which is then held in the Deposit Protection Scheme (DPS).

Rent: You will have to pay the rent for the remainder of the month from the start of your tenancy sign-up date, alongside one month’s rent in advance.

You may have to pay a reservation fee to reserve your property but this is typically deducted from the first month’s rent.

During your tenancy, you’re responsible for all of the utility bills associated with the property while you’re a tenant. This is generally council tax, water, gas, electricity and internet.

When you formally purchase the property as part of the Rent to Buy scheme, you’ll also take on the usual costs associated with purchasing a property - such as Stamp Duty, conveyancing fees, valuation fees and any administration costs such as the mortgage application.

The answer to this question depends on your own individual circumstances but if you have a good credit score and reliable income each year, Rent to Buy is a practical way of getting on the property ladder if you cannot save enough for a deposit.

The most important consideration is your personal timeline. While five years may be plenty of time for you to save, house prices could rise during that period which means you pay more. If you buy sooner, however, you have less time to take advantage of the discounted rental rate and build up your deposit.

You also have to consider availability. The availability of Rent to Buy properties depends on the local authority or housing association you’re working with. While the scheme offers many benefits, you may not have the same amount of choice as you usually would in the open market.

If you do find a suitable property, make sure that you’re truly happy with it if you’re considering Rent to Buy. This is a scheme designed for the long-term and if you compromise on area or size, you risk the success of your Rent to Buy agreement if you quickly outgrow it.

If an existing homeowner is experiencing exceptional circumstances - such as the breakdown of a relationship - then they’re eligible for the Rent to Buy scheme. In these exceptional instances, it’s down to the homeowner to demonstrate they're unable to purchase a home on the open market and require the support of Rent to Buy.

This depends on the scheme but generally, while you’re renting, repairs are taken care of by the housing association. It’s your responsibility, however, to keep the property in good order, ensure the property is well-maintained and the garden is cared for.

While you’re in the Rent to Buy agreement, any service charge is included in the rent. Once you purchase the property, however, you may have to pay a service charge which is discussed with you prior to the purchase.

The typical tenancy agreement that you will see on a Rent to Buy property is an Assured Shorthold Tenancy, which runs on a periodic basis.