London's first-time buyers: this couple bought their first flat in Lewisham's sought-after Renaissance scheme using Help to Buy

JP and Chris had been renting for 15 years and never thought they would be able to save for a deposit.
'Peace of mind': JP and Chris relax on their balcony
Ruth Bloomfield24 March 2017

Partners JP and Chris have snapped up a flat in Lewisham’s spectacular Renaissance scheme after years of believing that they would probably never own their own home.

JP had been in private rented accommodation for the 15 years, the last five with Chris, and both thought they would never be able to buy because their saving could not keep up with rising prices.

Without help from the government-backed Help to Buy loan scheme, they would have been stuck renting for the foreseeable future, they say — facing higher and higher rent bills.

New build: the Renaissance building that JP and Chris call home

They needed a flat that was affordable but also within easy reach of work and Lewisham,with a DLR station, was perfect.

“But it would have taken us another 10 years to save for a deposit and by then the amount needed would have increased, so we were chasing an impossible goal,” says JP.

“It feels good to know that we’ve made an investment in our future and the guarantees associated with a new build have given us a great deal of peace of mind as new homeowners.”

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