A couple desperate to get their feet on the housing ladder have been able to afford their own home thanks to a housing association scheme.

Dianne and Brian Holtshausen, who live in Manor Way in Borehamwood, wanted a home for their baby daughter Harper but had their deposit turned down by mortgage lenders.

They were finally able to buy their own home thanks to Affinity Sutton’s ‘shared ownership and staircasing’ scheme.

This allows house-buyers to purchase a minimum of 25 per cent share of a property in the first instance and pay rent for the rest. As more shares are bought the rent decreases.

Mrs Holthausen, 32, said:  “We would never have been able to afford to buy a home on the open market because the banks just wouldn’t accept our deposit. We had always planned on buying 100 per cent of the property and this has given us the tools to be able to do that.”

The couple are expecting their family to soon outgrow their one-bedroom flat, but will keep it as a place to downsize to when their children have flown the nest.

For more information on shared ownership or the staircasing process, contact Affinity Sutton on 0300 100 0303 on email sales@affinitysutton.com