Can you check if you've been a home owner previously?

[Tattiespuds]

I'm wondering if there is such a thing as a register to find out if you've been named as a home owner before.

Backstory - if relevant DH and I both mid 30's are stuck renting and desperate to get on housing ladder with our kids.
There is lots of schemes for helping first time buyers which I am, however my husband had a previous marriage when very young. They bought a house which he says with lots of help from ex wife's parents only had house a few months if that when they split. He remembers signing something to sign away the house. And is sure he was on mortgage. We met a few years after their split and I encouraged him to check his credit score to improve so we could eventually but the mortgage wasn't there.
I'm under the impression even though he was off it by then if he has had a mortgage so should be able to see on score for 6 yrs (this was maybe 3-4 yes later).
He also can't remember if the house was bought just before they wed or just after as I asked if he maybe was signing away any claim to house if bought by her after marriage. He was also new to UK maybe a year or two prior to them buying.

I can't help feel he maybe wasn't on the mortgage but he thinks he was and we need to be sure

He's the main earner and without access to help to buy options and with rising house prices well never buy.

There must be some way of finding out, surely all these schemes aren't just taking peoples word for it.

If you're in Scotland have you looked into the LIFT scheme, they have quite a lengthy application but they will be able to advise you on your eligibility.

@chachaching LIFT is what I'd be interested in, if anything. Think I've found away thanks to a pp.

I guess you'd know if you've owned before, so it's not a typical request. I'm assuming the government Body can check it rather easily.

It's frustrating because if he own the house it was for less than 8 months, over a decade ago and mortgage never even touched his credit record. But it is what it is

You can buy through the new supply (new build) LIFT if you’ve previously owned a home but have experienced a significant change in circumstances - including relationship breakdown, so you would likely remain eligible for that. On paper, the LIFT scheme for existing properties / open market excludes anyone who has previously owned or held an interest in property; anecdotally, however, they will make an exception for extenuating circumstances and if your DH could demonstrate the circumstances in which he held an interest in his ex’s property and that he didn’t benefit financially from owning it, you may be able to argue an extenuating circumstance.

@ComtesseDeSpair I saw the other version of that for first buyers and existing homeowners. I was wondering if that would apply to us even though we don't currently own.
It could be an option to buy a new build its just finding a new build under the 200k purchase price threshold. But I did see it

That's really frustrating if the situation with your DH doesn't make you eligible, especially as he didn't seem to have any financial gain if he did own the first house. Good luck with everything, hope it all goes well for you.

We've just bought our first home with LIFT (open market), we found link housing very helpful and quick to answer any of our questions throughout the whole process.

@chachaching it is very frustrating. It was all arranged by the ex and her father, they viewed the house and the father stumped up the deposit and then she told dh they were buying the house. I think all in he lived there about 8mths before they split and he signed "something" to not have anything to do with the house. They divorced 1yr after split at earliest point there was no mention of the house in the paperwork for divorce.

He both gained and lost nothing by this house, it never touch his credit file but it means all this time later we can't have access to help to buy for our families future.