A single mum has been left heartbroken after losing out on her dream home due to a £37k price hike. Ellen Perry says she can no longer afford to move into the property with her daughter after the increase.
The NHS worker claims she had agreed a price of £250,000 with Thompson Developments and had paid a £500 deposit on the house back in November 2021. She says she was given a completion date of the end of March 2022.
The Chester mother was looking to buy the three-bedroom property through a shared ownership scheme. Cheshire Live reports that she has been working 50 hours a week for years to try and get on the property ladder.
Ellen signed up to buy the house at a new development in Saughall through a shared ownership scheme in December 2021. However, she claims that there had been various delays in terms of the house and the necessary paperwork being ready.
The single mother was then horrified to get a phone call this month to inform her that the price of the three-bed property had now gone up. Her mortgage offer has also now expired and she said she would not be able to get a mortgage for the new higher price.
Ellen said: "I put the reservation fee down in December 2021 and everyone else seems to have moved in now apart from the 50 per cent shared ownership property owners. They seemed to stop working on my house in October 2022.
"Two days before Christmas I received a WhatsApp message from the owner of the development company advising me that they’ve parted ways with Auxesia and if I was still interested in buying the house he would put me in the right direction. After a telephone conversation he advised that he was dealing with a new affordable company called Heylo and that I would know more after the new year.
"I contacted Auxesia, as I wondered why they hadn’t told me they were pulling out, and they were shocked and unaware that the development company were doing this. On 9 January, I was asked to give a number a ring as they’d spoken to the new affordable company.
"When I phoned, the lady advised that the price of my house had increased from £250,000 agreed in November 2021 to £287,000. I can’t afford any increase.
"My original mortgage was £440 a month then rent on top at £290. After the interest increase my mortgage went to £570.
"I had my mortgage in place and ready to move."
The mother says she was devastated by the news and had even began packing to move into the new home with her daughter. She added: "When I found out, I couldn't stop crying.
"We'd even started packing to move to our new home. It's just horrendous.
"Me and my daughter are devastated. I'm so upset.
"For the past two and a half years I've been working 30 hours a week in my job in the opthalmology department at the Countess, as well as 20 hours at weekends in A&E or my department, just to get my salary up and to save the £24,000 deposit."
The NHs worker claims she is out of pocket to the tune of around £1,000. This sum including around £250 plus VAT on solicitor's fees, £395 to her mortgage company and £500 as part payment on flooring, which she says she will not get back.
Ellen added: "Originally I was going to go for a two-bed house but the affordability let me go for a three-bed so I did. If I'd gone for a two-bed there would only have been a £5,000 increase.
"It's been really upsetting. It's caused me so much stress. They contacted me two days before Christmas to say they were parting ways with Auxesia.
"To message me a couple of days before Christmas. My heart was coming out of my chest with worry.
"Talk about happy new year for 2023. It was meant to be a fresh start in a lovely new home.
"Now I feel that it's out of my reach."
Cheshire Live contacted Thompson Developments and Auxesia Homes but at the time of publishing no response has been received no response.
Ellen says she had been informed that Auxesia had now terminated their contract with Thompson Developments. A Heylo spokesperson said: "Heylo has not entered into any contract with Thompson Developments on this property and at this time has no involvement at all with the property, including any increase in price charges or mortgages.
"All enquiries should be made directly to Thompson Developments who are responsible for delivering the homes on the scheme."
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