What is Rent to Buy?
We are delighted to offer Rent to Buy in London with Peabody, at selected developments as a brand new way to make it possible for you to own a home.
Once you find your home, Rent to Buy allows you to live in your chosen home for two years by renting it from us. Peabody will be your trusted landlord and provide a 20% discount on your monthly rent compared to other similar properties in the area. After 2 years you can choose to own your home through Shared Ownership.
We understand how difficult it can be to get a foot on the property ladder. Too often people are forced into completely changing their lifestyle or making big sacrifices, like moving away from family, friends and work, just to be able to save for a deposit to buy their own home. For many, the idea of ever being able to afford to buy in London feels out of reach.
Through Rent to Buy, we want as many people as possible to have a beautiful home to call their own, and at Peabody, we’ve been helping people in London and the south-east get on to the property ladder for over 150 years.
How does Rent to Buy work?
For more information about starting your journey towards owning your first home please download the Rent to Buy guide.
How much could I save with Rent to Buy?
Rent to Buy is designed for people who are earning enough to qualify for buying a home through Shared Ownership, but have not yet been able to save enough for a deposit.
You can rent a Peabody home while saving for a deposit during the 2 years you're renting with us. See how much savings you can make to contribute to your deposit.
Example: 1 bed apartment at Colindale Gardens
Minimum annual household income £45,000
Cost of your home - £380,000
Reservation fee - £99
Five weeks' deposit - £1,270
Market value rent (monthly) - £1,400
Monthly rent you will actually pay (-20%) - £1,100
A 20% discount on your rent means you can build up savings of £7,200 in just two years.
One bedroom apartment at Colindale Gardens
Am I eligible for Rent to Buy in London?
Rent to Buy allows you to rent your home at a 20% percent discount, then own it via Shared Ownership
after two years.
Here is what you need to be eligible for a Rent to buy home:
• My household income is not more than £90,000 a year
• I don’t own a property already
• I am willing to agree with you a sustainable amount I am able to save every month whilst I am renting my new home
• I can afford the monthly Shared Ownership costs at the moment, but don’t currently have a large enough deposit to buy through Shared Ownership or outright
• I am able to show that I can obtain a mortgage based on my current credit report
• I am able to pass money laundering and fraud checks
• I am hoping to buy a home big enough to suit my current needs
• I am able to get a good tenancy reference from my current landlord
Speak to a Sales advisor on enquiries@peabodysales.org.uk for more information regarding eligibility and affordability criteria.
What if my circumstances change after 2 years?
We appreciate that a lot can happen in two years. If for any reason your home is no longer suitable, you do have some more options:
• You can consider buying an alternative brand new Peabody home through Shared Ownership with a 5% cashback incentive.
• You can consider buying an alternative Peabody resale property without a cashback incentive.
• You can choose to move out of the home.
Buy your home with Shared Ownership
Once the initial rental period is over, you should be in a position to buy your home through Shared Ownership, using a combination of the deposit you have saved and a mortgage arranged by yourself.
Owning a Shared Ownership home, means you buy a share in the property and pay rent on the share you don’t own. You can buy as little as 25% or as much as 75% of the value of the property initially, and you’ll need to take out a mortgage to do this. Although you may be officially ‘renting’ a proportion of the home, legally you become an owner-occupier, not a part tenant.
Shared Ownership is a part buy/part rent scheme that makes it possible for first time buyers to purchase a property that otherwise would not have been affordable. It is a government-backed scheme launched in 2006 for people who are unable to afford to buy a home at full market value.
Search New Homes by Peabody
All our Rent to Buy homes are now reserved but we will have more properties available through Rent to Buy launching in the future. In the meantime, use our property search to discover other ways to buy a home and to register your interest.