Prefab homes council query
A COUNCIL was asked to provide information regarding prefabricated council homes after one family living in Shepshed were told they could not get a mortgage.
At a Charnwood Borough full council meeting on Monday, February 27, Coun Christine Radford asked what information was passed to tenants wishing to purchase their prefabricated council homes to help find them a suitable mortgage.
She told the Echo a family in Shepshed had applied to buy their house through the Right to Buy Scheme but later found they were unable to get certain certification needed for a mortgage as the house is classed as “defective” by banks and building societies due to the age of the property.
Coun Radford said: “It costs money to apply for a mortgage and they found they can’t get one.
“That was why I asked the question to see if the council lets people know about the problem.
“The family in question said if they had known they wouldn’t have kept doing stuff to the house because they did it thinking they would be able to buy it.”
In a document provided at the meeting it stated: “Council tenants in non-traditionally built properties receive a letter at the same time as their right to buy formal offer and valuation advising them of the deterioration in the reinforced concrete structure identified in a similar style of property in Scotland.
“The letter also states that their property is of a non-traditional construction type and that they should take advice before proceeding further.
“Unfortunately officers at the council are unable to provide advice to tenants on their choice of mortgage and they would need to talk to their independent financial advisor or bank/building society.”