Renting options
We offer a range of different affordable rental options for many different people and different types of households.
1. FIRST STEPS Rent to Buy
FIRST STEPS Rent to Buy is a scheme which allows you to rent a brand new home now, and at a later date, buy an affordable share in the property under the FIRST STEPS Shared Ownership.
Our rents are 20% less than the estimated market rent for an equivalent property.
Key benefits:
- Ideal if you want to own your own property but are unable to proceed at the present time
- You pay an affordable rent – just 80% of current private rent
- ‘Try before you buy’ gives you the opportunity to test drive your home before you buy
- Receive a payment equivalent to the first six months rent paid up to a maximum of £5K* when you go on to buy a share in your home.
- Financial help with your purchase costs once you are ready to buy
- Option to buy flexible shares from 25% of the full sale price at any time from the start of your tenancy
- Wide choice of one and two bedroom homes across east London which are available for you to move into right away.
How much will I save?
- Our rents are 20% less than the estimated market rent for an equivalent property
- The cost of buying a share through FIRST STEPS Shared Ownership is substantially lower and more affordable than the estimated costs of buying outright.
* Maximum of £5,000. Received on completion of conversion to FIRST STEPS Shared Ownership.
2. FIRST STEPS Intermediate Rent
Rents for these homes are usually set between 60-80% of market rent, but this can vary between developments. All applicants must be registered with the relevant HomeBuy agent, be able to afford to pay the monthly rent and their bills. Usually applicants living or working in the borough the property is located in are given priority.
For more information about FIRST STEPS Intermediate Rent, please contact the Sales team on 0845 600 0830 (9am-5pm) or email them at properties@east-homes.co.uk
3. Local Authority Housing
A number of East Thames homes are available through local authority housing lists. To be eligible for one of these homes, you'll need to be on your local authorities (council) waiting list.
The councils where we work are: Newham, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Redbridge, Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Harlow, Epping Forest and Essex. These housing waiting lists don’t work on a first come first served basis, instead priority is given to people who:
- are homeless
- are living in insanitary, overcrowded or unsatisfactory housing
- need to move for medical or welfare reasons
- need to move to a particular area to avoid hardship.
- Information on eligibility criteria can be found at: http://england.shelter.org.uk
4. Market Rent
You can rent a home from us at market rent, in the same way as you would rent a home through an estate agent. These are often available to people that live or work anywhere in the country, as opposed to some of our homes which are prioritised to people living or working in east London.
The benefit from renting from us is that there are no agency fees to pay and your home would be managed and maintained by a reputable housing association.
