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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Business
Charlotte Duck

Help to Buy deadline: the London home-buying dreams in tatters after build delays and labour shortages

Help to Buy Charlie Cook Homes England London HBF

When the Help to Buy equity loan scheme came to an end on October 31, Charlie Cook was thrilled that he’d made the deadline.

“I got lucky because someone dropped out and I got the last Help to Buy flat in my development.” That was in May this year and the development was St George’s Park in Hornchurch, where he is buying a two-bedroom flat for £411,000. Then his luck ran out. “Last week I got a letter saying they were really sorry, but it wouldn’t be finished until February.”

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