Harrow family buys first share of new home through London Living Rent

Kamila Pakulska and family thought they would have to move out of London to afford their own home. Then they discovered London Living Rent at Le Bon Court in Harrow – an affordable way to home ownership that’s helped Kamila to secure a stable future for her family. And now a share in their new home!

The family have been in the property for nearly two years. In that time, they were able to save for a deposit and buy their first 25% share in September 2019.

“We moved into Le Bon Court at the beginning of March 2018. We’d been living in rented accommodation for the last 10 years and thought this would be a great opportunity for us to finally own our own place.”

Kamila and her family had previously been living in a cramped one-bedroom property in Rayners Lane.

“When my husband got a better position at work, we started to think about moving out of the private rented sector and getting a foot on the property ladder. We thought we would be able to afford a shared ownership property when before our only option was to rent.”

“We have lived in London for 10 years and knew we wanted to stay in Harrow as all our friends are here, it’s where our children go to school and it’s an easy commute to where we work. My husband was looking online when he discovered Le Bon Court by Network Homes and we expressed our interest straight away.”

Le Bon Court was Network Homes’ first London Living Rent Scheme where Kamila and her family were able to rent a two-bedroom property at a reduced rate so that they can save for a deposit to then buy their property in the next few years.

London Living Rent was introduced by the Mayor of London to ensure more affordable homes in the Capital by offering middle-income earners the opportunity to build up their savings to get their first step onto the property ladder. Network Homes’ London Living Rent homes are offered on a minimum of 18 months and residents are then supported to save and can buy their home through shared ownership during their tenancy.

Kamila says she would definitely recommend the scheme to others:

London Living Rent has helped us hugely as it’s a more affordable option for shared ownership and a more realistic way to be able to save money and then get onto the property ladder.

“I think it’s a really good scheme for those who want to work hard, who have jobs and want to change their lives and be able to afford their own place.”

It's fair to say that becoming homeowners and having an extra bedroom has transformed the lives of Kamila and her family.

“I love the size and how bright it is – that was the first thing I noticed when we entered. The flat is well designed and suits our family needs perfectly; there are two bathrooms and even a built-in dishwasher which makes a busy life easier. I’m also looking forward to using our large balcony. Harrow is great for us and there are good schools, shops, a large library and it’s very well connected.”

Buying their own home has made a huge difference to the whole family.

"My children are happy and excited to be living here. It feels like our forever home."

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