Ian’s story on Shared Ownership

When Ian sadly lost his wife his house payments became unaffordable. Shared ownership gave him the chance he needed to own his own home and live a normal life he thought he would never be able to live again.

Here he tells us his story:

Where were you living before purchasing your shared ownership home?

I became widowed at 52 and when my wife died my house payments became unaffordable. I was looking at moving but everything I found was out of budget and I was nervous as I didn’t know how I would afford to live and risked homelessness.  I came across whg and at the time I didn’t understand how social housing worked. I approached the team, and they were friendly and reassured me that I could apply with them.

When contacting whg, I initially thought I wouldn’t have had a choice in my property and would only be given what I was given. However, I was shocked that I was able to pick and choose where I wanted to live and it felt like I was given a choice over the process as when it was being built, I had a say in how it was fitted.

I was treated like a human, had sense of control and kept my dignity. I pay a bit of rent and mortgage, gaining on the open market and have the freedom to do what I like and make my own choices. If I pay my rent, I don’t hear anything from whg and I am left alone. I am backed up by good landlord.

How has your life changed since moving into your shared ownership home?

My life has improved 100%, I’ve gone through debt and live a normal life that I thought I would never be able to live again. Now I live with my own freedom of choice. I can decorate my property how I want and have been treated like a normal human being.

Is there anything else you would like to say about shared ownership?

I think this could be the way to go for most people. The way the houses are built are very well thought out. Private sector homes are small and tiny, and my shared ownership home is a lot bigger.

What advice would you give to someone considering shared ownership?

To just go for it! I’m 59 now and I’m of that generation where people have bought their own homes. Through this scheme I have maintained my ownership and gained a feeling of security. For the younger generation it is a good way to get on the property ladder.

For more information on shared ownership visit our webpage.