13 Jul 2026
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10 Ironmonger Street, Stamford Lincolnshire, PE9 1PL
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66 South Street, Oakham Rutland, LE15 6BQ
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27a Market Place, Market Deeping, PE6 8EA
01778 230 120 01778 230 129 enquiries@hegarty.co.uk13 Jul 2026
Although the Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme in England closed to new applications in 2023, thousands of homeowners still have an active Help to Buy loan.
If you're thinking about selling your home, remortgaging, or repaying your equity loan, it's important to understand how the scheme continues to affect your property and the legal process.
In this article, we explain what happens if you already have a Help to Buy equity loan, when repayments become due, and how a conveyancing solicitor can help.
The Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme is no longer available for new property purchases in England. The scheme closed to new applicants, with the final purchases completing in March 2023.
However, if you purchased your home using Help to Buy before the scheme closed, your equity loan remains in place until it is repaid.
Many homeowners are now reaching the stage where they are considering selling, remortgaging, or repaying their loan, making it important to understand the ongoing requirements.
Under the scheme, buyers purchased a new-build property using:
The loan was interest-free for the first five years. After that, interest charges become payable alongside a monthly management fee.
Unlike a traditional loan, the government owns an equity share in your property. This means the amount you repay depends on the property's value when you repay the loan, not the amount originally borrowed.
If you decide to sell your Help to Buy property, the equity loan must be repaid on completion.
The repayment is calculated at the same percentage of the amount that you originally borrowed but on the current market value of your property.
For example:
You would repay 20% of £320,000, which is £64,000.
If your property's value has fallen, the repayment amount also reduce because the loan is linked to the property's current value rather than the original loan amount.
Yes. Many homeowners choose to repay some or all of their equity loan while remaining in their property. This is often done by:
Before repayment can take place, you'll need an independent RICS valuation to establish your property's current market value.
Transactions involving Help to Buy are generally more complex than standard conveyancing.
Your solicitor will help:
Starting the legal process early can help avoid unnecessary delays, particularly if you're selling your property as part of a chain.
Before putting your property on the market, it's worth considering:
Your Property's Current Value
Because your repayment is based on the current market value, understanding what your property is worth can help you estimate how much of the sale proceeds will be used to repay the equity loan.
Interest Charges
The Help to Buy loan is interest-free for the first five years. After that, interest becomes payable and increases over time in accordance with the scheme rules. Homeowners approaching this point may wish to consider whether remortgaging or repaying the loan is appropriate for their circumstances.
Additional Administration
Selling or remortgaging with a Help to Buy loan involves extra paperwork, valuations, and approvals, so transactions can take longer than a standard property sale.
Although you can't use Help to Buy for a new purchase in England, selling a Help to Buy property often forms part of buying your next home.
Your conveyancing solicitor can coordinate both transactions, ensuring that your equity loan is redeemed correctly while helping your onward purchase progress as smoothly as possible.
If you're looking to buy your first home today, there are other government-backed schemes that may be available, including:
A solicitor can explain how these schemes affect the conveyancing process and what legal considerations apply.
At Hegarty, our experienced residential conveyancing team regularly assists homeowners buying, selling, and remortgaging properties with Help to Buy equity loans.
We understand the additional legal requirements involved and will guide you through every stage of the process, helping to minimise delays and ensuring all documentation is completed correctly.
Whether you're repaying your equity loan, selling your home or moving to your next property, we're here to make the process as straightforward and stress-free as possible.
Whatever legal support you need, our experienced and highly skilled solicitors and legal advisors are here to help. With expertise across a wide range of legal areas, we provide clear, practical advice tailored to you. What sets us apart is our commitment to understanding your needs and delivering the best possible outcome with a personal touch.
