Guidance for developers and estate agents

First Homes is an affordable housing product, aimed at eligible first-time buyers to purchase their first property and get onto the property ladder. Therefore, it is important that throughout the sale and resale process both developers and estate agents are responsible for complying with the planning regulations and restrictions in place.

Developers and Estate Agents can take guidance from the First Homes guides and application documents published by the Department of Housing, Levelling-Up and Communities.

Developers

In general, developers:

• Are responsible for complying with any applicable planning policies, both national and local, and / or building regulations that apply to the development where there are First Homes, for example those relating to space, accessibility, energy efficiency or carbon emissions.
• Must not market First Homes properties until the Section 106 agreement has legally completed.
• Must actively market the property to eligible applicants. Any local eligibility criteria will apply for a maximum of 3 months from when a home is first marketed. If a suitable buyer has not reserved a home after 3 months, the eligibility criteria (including income caps) will revert to the national criteria to widen the consumer base.
• Are responsible for checking, completing, and submitting application forms to the Council on behalf of initial buyers.
• Must only submit one eligible application at a time to communityhousing@dover.gov.uk.
• Do not certify or approve a prospective applicant’s eligibility but must determine that applicants they put forward do meet the eligibility criteria for the scheme. Only the Council can make eligibility approval decisions through the issue of an ‘Authority to Proceed’.
• May be required to provide logbooks per First Homes property (as per the Section 106 agreement).

Estate agents

In general, estate agents:

• Must follow the marketing instructions that are issued to them. This is to ensure that First Homes properties are sold to eligible buyers and the sale marketed compliantly.
• Must actively market the property to eligible applicants. Any local eligibility criteria will apply for a maximum of 3 months from when a home is first marketed. If a suitable buyer has not reserved a home after 3 months, the eligibility criteria (including income caps) will revert to the national criteria to widen the consumer base.
• Must only market and sell the property at the discounted value stipulated on the RICS valuation. Prices can never be negotiated above this price, even if there are several interested applicants. Prices can be negotiated down if requested by the seller.
• Are responsible for checking, completing, and submitting the buyer’s application form, supporting documents and the seller’s RICS valuation to the Council.
• Must only submit one application at a time to communityhousing@dover.gov.uk.
• Do not certify or approve a prospective buyer’s eligibility but must determine that applicants they put forward do meet the eligibility criteria for the scheme. Only the Council can make eligibility approval decisions.

Back to top