A new form of housing aimed at people who are struggling to get on the housing ladder is being proposed in Kirkby Stephen.
Local cooperative eQuality Homes want to make housing more accessible to those who are unable to buy their own house by building homes that offer low rents, a secure tenancy, and rent-free living in the long-term.
A key selling point of the housing scheme will be that the residents will become members of the cooperative that owns the houses giving them a voice on how the scheme is run, and a vote on key matters relating to the cooperative. The scheme will provide residents with a home for life that they decorate and personalise, live in rent-free once their share of costs is paid, and even leave to their children.
Tom Woof, founding member of the eQuality Homes Cooperative says; “The Upper Eden community suffers from a high house price to income ratio and we believe this model will help local people find a home that they will want to stay in for the long term. This is a new form of a fully mutual housing co-op that we have been working on and is regulated and registered with the Financial Conduct Authority.
We are very keen to work with the local community to better understand not only what kind of houses they would like these new homes to be, but also how many and what they want them to look and feel like.”
To help shape a new development in the Kirkby Stephen area, eQuality Homes are urging people go online to fill out a short survey and register their interest. As a thank you, anyone who completes the survey by the 21st of October will be automatically entered into a prize draw to win £100 of vouchers.
Simply visit www.eQualityhomes.co.uk to take part and to find out more about the eQuality Homes scheme.
