Living in the UK

Summary of sections: 

  1. Health (GP, dentist, optician information and registration, mental and sexual health support, carer support, registering births, deaths, marriages, civil partnerships etc)
  2. Housing (information on buying, renting, social housing, household services such as rubbish collection, information on fly tipping, etc)
  3. Education (information on early years, schools and beyond)
  4. Transport (using public transport, driving your own vehicle, etc)
  5. Information on other services such as Banking, using Post office, TV, Telephone, etc and Hillingdon People magazine, HillingdonFirst card

2. HOUSING

2.3. Home ownership

Buying a house

There are some key phases to buying a house. 


  • Organising your finances:

Finance comes first. Before you start seriously looking at properties, you should consider how you will pay for your new home.


  • Getting an Agreement in Principle (AIP):

An agreement in principle is a written estimate from a        mortgage lender, giving you an indication of how much    money you can borrow.


  • Finding your home:

You can access the internet or Estate agents.


  • Making an offer


  • Formally applying for a mortgage: 

A mortgage is a loan that you use to buy a property. 

When you buy a home, you'll put down a cash deposit and pay for the rest using a mortgage from a bank or building society.

You then pay the mortgage plus interest back in monthly instalments over a set number of years.


  • Hiring a solicitor and Completing the purchase.



First time Buyers Scheme 

  • The First Time Buyers Scheme is an opportunity for Hillingdon residents to become homeowners.


  • The scheme is exclusively for first-time buyers who have lived in Hillingdon for the last 10 years and have funds to pay a minimum 7.5% deposit. 


  • The council tops up your deposit with a grant to assist applicants purchasing a home suitable for their needs, in an area of their choice within Hillingdon.


  • Funding is limited and applications are processed on a first come first served basis.



Shared ownership 

Shared ownership allows you to buy a property which otherwise would not be affordable.


Who is eligible ?

The standard requirements for shared ownership are:


  • Applicants should have a gross annual household income of no more than £90,000 per annum.


  • Applicants must be unable to purchase a suitable home to meet their housing needs on the open market.


  • Applicants will need between 5 to 10% deposit on the value of the share they wish to purchase.


  • Applicants who supplement a low income with welfare benefits (for example, housing benefit) will not meet affordability requirements and are therefore not eligible. Owner occupiers may be considered as a result of a relationship breakdown.


  • You must be able to obtain a mortgage or have sufficient capital to buy your share. 


Your home may be at risk if you fail to keep up your mortgage or rent payments.


How do I apply ?

Click:      Apply for Shared Ownership


Or  


Download:  Shared Ownership application form




Right to buy: Buying your council home 

You can get a discount on the market value of your home when you buy it if you qualify for Right to Buy.


In London Boroughs the maximum discount is £112,300. It will increase each year in April in line with the consumer price index (CPI).


 Discount is based on:

  • How long you’ve been a tenant with a public sector landlord.


  • The type of property you’re buying - a flat or house.


  • The value of your home.


  • If you’re buying with someone else, you count the years of whoever’s been a public sector tenant the longest.


  • You’ll usually have to repay some or all your discount if you sell your home within 5 years.


  • You might get a smaller discount if you’ve used Right to Buy in the past.


Visit for information and scheme:   Right to Buy Scheme