Welcome To Wirral

What can I expect from the Homemovers Service?

The Home Ownership Advisory Officers can provide you with as much or as little support as you require to help you to move house. Officers can explain to you about the clearance procedure, compensation you may be entitled to, possible financial assistance and your future housing options. Visits can be made in your own home (or at another suitable alternative venue if preferred) to answer any questions you may have.

The Home Ownership Advisory Officer will be able to help you by:-

• Providing information about what is happening in your area and, in particular, your home.
• Tell you about the housing options available to you – see Options Available leaflet.
• Arranging for an Independent Financial Advisor to meet with you, if you are a home-owner or considering buying a property.
• Advising you about any compensation you may be entitled to.
• Helping you to move home, such as assisting you to obtain a solicitor, if you are buying a home.
• Helping you to access support services if you require additional assistance to move home.
• If you are currently renting and want to continue to do so, assisting you to find letting agents or register with social landlords – see – www.wirralhomes.net

The service also has a panel of Independent Financial Advisors whose services you may wish to use.

First Homes

The Homemovers Team delivers an initiative called FIRST HOMES, which assists, primarily first time buyers on low income, into home ownership in Housing Market Renewal area (includes parts of Wallasey, Birkenhead, Rock Ferry and Tranmere.)

First Homes comprises 2 schemes, each one providing the following assistance:

• Support and guidance on the home buying process from a Home Ownership Advisory Officer
• Referral to an Independent Financial Advisor who can provide mortgage advice
• Up to £2000 financial incentive towards home buying costs *
• Access to other support services that may be required

Single applicants must have an income of  up to £30,000 and couples up to £40,000 per year.

First Homes HOUSED (Home Ownership Using Sustainable Empty Dwellings)

The Homemovers Team works alongside the Housing Standards Team which buys in long term empty properties, renovates them to a high standard and sells them at 10% discount off the market value. Any available properties will be advertised on, http://www.rightmove.co.uk/or enquiries can be made by contacting 0151 691 8005. There are currently properties available in Palatine Road in Seacombe and 1 property in Howson Street, Rock Ferry. Further properties will be available in central Birkenhead in the near future

First Homes Open Market

This relates to property being purchased on the open market, normally advertised with estate agents.

The team receives referrals from local estate agents, or direct calls from the public who are wishing to buy property in an HMR area. If you are interested in purchasing a property and want to know if it is an HMR area, please contact us on 0151 691 8107.

Since the commencement of the scheme, a total of 14 residents have benefited  from First Homes, including the Incentive Payment and 9 more are waiting to complete on their purchases.

* Once available funding has ceased, the Incentive Payments element of First Homes will no longer be available

How do I contact the team?

The team can be contacted using the details shown below:-

Name	Office Telephone No.	Email address
Yvonne Baillie	691 8108	yvonnebaillie@wirral.gov.uk
Gill Ellis	691 8106	gillellis@wirral.gov.uk
Dave Newman	691 8234	davenewman@wirral.gov.uk

Or write to us at:-
Regeneration Department
HMRI Team
Town Hall
Brighton Street
Wallasey
Wirral
CH44 8ED