Take it for granted!
That there is help out there just waiting for you to apply
Scotland has a shortage of housing across all sectors and self-build is being seen increasingly as one way to solve, or at least ease, the situation. Right now one of the most successful schemes in Scotland to help selfbuild projects is drawing to a close – if you are quick you could be in with a chance. It will be interesting to see what other financial support will be coming to take its place.
The Scotland Self-Build Loan Fund is a time-limited fund to assist self, or custom, builders finance their home’s construction period and it ends on August 31 this year.
The fund began as a rural project but it was expanded nationwide and an extra £2 million added, and it was expanded to a four-year period during the pandemic.
It is open for those who have been unable to obtain mainstream self-build mortgage finance, but who will be able to repay the loan by August 31 2023; already own or are contracted to buy the land and have planning permission and a building warrant ready to go.
The maximum loan available is £175,000.
Private water supply grant
No mains is no problem for a self-build project if you have a private water supply.
Local councils give to £800 towards the one-off cost of setting up a new private water supply or making sure a supply is up to modern standards.
The grant will not be made if the work has already begun, or was finished after the application was submitted. The grant cannot be spent on the cost of on-going maintenance and operation.
Energy efficient cash incentives
Home Energy Scotland Loans from the Scottish Government cover a wide range of energy efficiency options but self-builders can apply only for renewables systems under the loan, not for energy efficiency.
Croft house grant
The Croft House Grant Scheme helps finance new builds, rebuilds and major renovations for crofters.
Applying is not for the faint-hearted. Anyone who successfully navigates the complexities of eligibility, selection criteria, geographical priority, declarations of personal and business finances then faces up to 15 years of inspection and the threat of disallowance and penalties including the repayment in full, with interest.
You will need to provide planning permission documents with your application and title deeds with your claim
Only the very, very rich will have failed to notice that we are entering a period of high inflation and ever rising prices. The biggest investment a family makes is home ownership and the purchase of that home and its continued upkeep is vital to the wellbeing of its occupants.
The first obvious step for a hard working home is to ensure that every penny is well spent to bring your new home in on budget.
Once your home is up and running the main earning potential is accommodation.
A lodger has specific rights under law and these can be found on the Rent a Room Scheme page on the government website. Part of your home could become a separate unit, an annexe or flat making you a landlord.
The thought of the Covid lockdown periods might make people dubious about a non family member there all the time.
A lodger or tenant working away from their own home Monday night to Friday morning is the answer. They could be on a contract for a major project near by; have started work before a house sale completes, be a postgrad student, professor, or NHS, military, fire or police on secondment.
A welcoming home that doesn’t mind late working hours can be a Godsend for theatres and festivals looking to accommodate actors and crew.
In remote locations seasonal hotel staff, forestry, agricultural and gamekeeping teams create a demand for short periods of time.
Find them via your own neighbourhood network or the HR departments of fire, police, NHS, colleges and schools.
Bed and breakfast has been a good earner for years but its internet kid brother Airbnb has, on occasion, earned itself a bit or a reputation.
When he was Scottish Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning Kevin Stewart MSP announced measures to provide local authorities with the ability to implement a licensing scheme for short-term lets: ‘We know that in certain areas, particularly tourist hot spots, high numbers of short-term lets are causing problems and often make it harder for people to find homes to live in.’