Your rent and mortgage costs will depend on the value of the property and the share that you purchase. Why not use our affordability calculator for an idea of approximate costs?

Can I buy a property through an estate agent using government funding?

There are currently no schemes available through Moat that enable you to select a property of your choice on the open market. We are able to offer a wide selection of homes available through Moat, plus homes available via private devleopers with the FirstBuy and HomeBuy Direct initiatives. Use our property search to find out more.

Do I require a deposit to buy a home?

If you wish to purchase a home with Moat, you will require a deposit for your mortgage. This is in addition to the savings required for other home buying costs such as legal fees and mortgage arrangement fees.

Do Moat provide mortgages?

No, nor are Moat staff qualified to offer mortgage advice. Moat provide the houses, not the mortgage to purchase the houses. You will need to obtain a mortgage from a high street lender. You can find out more details about mortgages via our panel of independent mortgage advisors.

What is a HomeBuy Agent?

Until recently, if a first time buyer wished to find out about affordable home ownership options in their area, they would have to contact various housing associations. HomeBuy Agents were introduced to act as a one stop shop for customers. All you need to do is complete one application form, and you should receive details from all housing associations that operate in your area. Moat is the local HomeBuy Agent for Essex, Kent and Sussex. You can find out more by visiting www.homebuyoptions.co.uk.

If you live outside Essex, Kent or Sussex, you can visit www.homebuy.co.uk to find out who your local HomeBuy Agent is.

How long will it take once I have been accepted onto the HomeBuy database?

This will be dependant on your application, your housing requirements and the availability of homes in your desired areas. You will be sent details of properties that you are eligible for as they arise. You may also like to visit our property search for details of all of the homes available through Moat.

I was accepted onto your HomeBuy database six months ago and have heard nothing since then. Can you tell me how long I will have to wait for a home?

You will be sent details of properties that you are eligible for as they arise. The number of homes you will be sent is be dependent on your application, your housing requirements and the availability of homes in your desired areas. Our database of applicants is not a waiting list. Please make us aware if you have had any changes in your personal circumstances that may make you eligible for a wider range of homes. For example, let us know if you have had a pay rise or have increased your level of savings. You can also contact us if you wish to widen your property search beyond the areas that you outlined on your application form.

You have written to me and said that I cannot afford any HomeBuy option. I am about to be made homeless. What can I do?

Contact the housing department at your local council office and ask what options are available to you. It is also a good idea to seek advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau or Shelter.

If you do not accept my HomeBuy application, can I appeal?

Yes, you can. We are happy to review all applications within one month of our letter informing you of our decision. We are particularly keen for you to tell us if anything in your application has changed so that we can include this in our assessment.

I have recently separated from my partner and we are selling our family home. I will receive proceeds from the sale but cannot afford to buy on the open market. Can you help?

HomeBuy is primarily for first time buyers, however existing owners may be able to be assisted if you are unable to buy a home suitable for your needs on the open market. In order for us to consider existing owners, we would require approval from your local authority. You must have sold or be in the process of selling your existing home at the time of your application.

I am not a UK National, but I live and work in the UK, am I eligible to apply?

If you are not a UK national, you should have "indefinite leave to remain" stamped inside your passport. If you do not have the right to reside permanently in the UK, we would advise you to seek independent mortgage advice as to whether you can obtain a mortgage. If you can, we may be able to consider your application. You may like to contact a member of our mortgage panel.

I have no idea how to get a mortgage or if I can afford one. How do I find this out?

It would be a good idea to speak with an independent mortgage adviser from Moat’s mortgage panel. They have experience and knowledge of shared ownership mortgages. You may also like to use our affordability calculator to give you an idea of appropriate costs and required monthly incomes.

Where does Moat get its money from to build the homes and provide funding?

We are a charitable housing association and we receive public funding from the Homes and Communities Agency to assist people to purchase an affordable home. We also invest our own surpluses to provide additional affordable homes.

I have read through Moat’s application form and I do not understand all of the questions. Please can someone help me?

Yes, of course. Call us on 0845 359 6161 and we would be happy to assist. Our HomeBuy Services team is available from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Moat staff are always happy to help with your requests for information. We try hard to offer good levels of customer service and we are proud that customers rate our services highly when asked for feedback. Some 99% of our customers say that they would recommend us to others.

If I own 50%, who is responsible for repairs?

Regardless of the share that you own in your shared ownership or shared equity home, you have sole responsibility for all repairs and maintenance.

Can you tell me about the lease used for your shared ownership homes?

The lease is the formal legal contract between you and us setting out the rights and obligations of both parties. It is an important document and is sometimes consulted in the event of a problem or a dispute. There are two identical copies of each lease; your mortgage lender usually holds your copy and our solicitors hold our copy of the lease.

A lease gives you rights over land or buildings for a set period of time. When this period runs out, these rights revert back to us.

If you are the first person ever to buy the property, the lease will usually be for 125 years. Subsequent owners take over the number of years remaining on the lease at the time of their purchase.

If you live in an apartment and purchase all the property shares up to 100% ownership, you are still a leaseholder and are entitled to remain in your home until the end of the lease.

House owners who buy 100% ownership normally become freeholders.

A new lease was developed by the Homes and Communities Agency in April 2010, it includes:

A description of the property, defining the boundaries and areas you are responsible for and those we are responsible for.
How much rent and/or service charges you must pay when the lease starts.
How the rent and/or service charges are reviewed.
The items included in the service charges and how we inform you of their cost.
Arrangements of your buildings insurance.
How you can purchase additional shares in your home.
How you can sell your home.

The lease also provides an explanation of your rights and responsibilities and ours, including:

The shared owner is responsible for all repair and maintenance to the property, including windows and doors.
No sub-letting is permitted.
You should inform Moat of any major improvements that you wish to make to your home.
Other than where permitted, the shared owner must not park or allow any vehicle to park anywhere on the development except on their allocated parking space (if applicable).
No commercial vehicles exceeding 15cwt are permitted, except when this is due to the temporary use of delivery or removal vans.
No pets are allowed within apartments, and where pets are kept in houses, if they cause a nuisance to neighbours they can be asked to be removed.
The shared owner must not play any musical instrument, television, stereo, nor sing etc. loudly between 11:00pm and 7:30am.
The shared owner must not cause or permit to be caused nuisance, annoyance or disturbance to the owners, lessees or occupiers of premises in the neighbourhood or visitors to such premises.
The shared owner must not do anything which may result in any form of harassment or intimidation of any other person, including Moat's staff.
The shared owner must give Moat an exclusive 8 week nomination period to identify a buyer, if they wish to sell their share.
Rent and service charges must be paid regularly and on time. Where arrears accrue, we may charge a daily interest of 3%.

Please note this is only a selection of the responsibilities. Your solicitor should discuss all aspects of the lease with you.

Can I buy further shares in my home at a later stage?

Yes. For shared owners, this is known as staircasing. You can buy as little as a 10% share per staircasing transaction; although many shared owners purchase larger percentages. You are limited to three staircasing transactions and so you must achieve 100% ownership by your third transaction. You will purchase the share at the current market value.

With each share purchase, your rent reduces according to the new percentage owned. When you reach 100% ownership, you no longer pay us rent, although you are still liable for service charges and ground rent (if applicable).

If you have made improvements or alterations to your home, providing you have informed us about these in advance of the works, you will purchase your home at the current market value (excluding the increase in value that these improvements have created).

If you would like to apply to staircase, we recommend you first check with your lender that you are able to get a larger mortgage to cover the share you wish to buy.

If you have any other questions, please contact 0845 359 6161.