First time buyer?

[RainMinusBow]

I'm reading conflicting evidence re who qualifies...

Some say you are not a first time buyer if you've ever owned a property before.

Others say you can qualify more than once under certain conditions?

My fiancé and I have both been married before. He hasn't owned a property since around 2013 - been renting since then. I haven't owned a property since 2017 - again, I've been renting since then.

We're still both in rented (now together) and both haven't owned a property in quite some time.

Do we qualify for anything to help us get back onto the property ladder one day?

I don’t believe either of you would be considered first time buyers as you’ve owned property previously.

Depends on the lender, if you want the FTB package and lower deposit you usually have to have not owned a property for the past 6m-1yr.

Pretty sure the help to buy scheme/ISAs you can't have if you have ever owned a property.

@Beseen19 I thought there was something like that, thank you. Neither of us have owned property for quite a little while.

Neither of you will be classed as first time buyers for stamp duty purposes. HTB ISAs have finished now, but you wouldn't have qualified for this either.

You could however obtain the Help to Buy Equity Loan on a new build property, so the government loan you 20% (40% in London) of the purchase price and you put down a 5% deposit.

Also look at Shared Ownership (household income less than £80,000 outside London, £90,000 in London).

3 years isn’t really “quite a while” now is it.

Echoing PP to confirm that for SDLT purposes etc neither of you are first time buyers.

@Spickle Thank you - that's really helpful and something I'll definitely look into.

@BentNeckLady I never understand on here why some people have to be rather aggressive in their tone? It's just not necessary.

I've actually been renting for six years amd had no choice in the matter but ex attempted to contest divorce as he's a complete idiot and gets kicks from control.

I don't suppose you have, but if you'd have ever had no choice but to long-term rent you'd perhaps appreciate how difficult it is.

Previous poster mentioned not owning a property for 6 mnths to a year hence my reply.