My fiancé cheated after we bought a flat — I still deserve first-time buyer help

What help is there for single women buying alone? Metro finds the answers (Picture: Getty Images) Buying your first home with a partner is meant to be joyous but should the relationship go wrong, the financial consequences can be devastating. For Sophie, 32, it’s a nightmare she’s living right now. Just months after moving into a three-bed new build flat in Croydon with her fiancé, she discovered he was cheating on her. They sold and saw thousands of pounds go down the drain as a result. Four years later, Sophie thinks she’s ready to buy again – solo this time. So when Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced the Your First Home scheme recently, she was elated. Then she realised she might not qualify. She asked Metro consumer champion, Sarah Davidson, what her options are. The question… My ex and I bought our first flat in 2022 with a £30,000 deposit after we got engaged. Ready to start your homebuying journey? You can access completely fee-free mortgage advice with London & Country (L&C) Mortgages, a partner of Metro. Customers benefit from: – Award winning service from the UK’s leading mortgage broker – Expert advisors on hand 7 days a week – Access to 1000s of mortgage deals from across the market Unlike many mortgage brokers, L&C won’t charge you a fee for their advice. Find out how much you could borrow online Mortgage service provided by London & Country Mortgages (L&C), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (registered number: 143002). The FCA does not regulate most Buy to Let mortgages. Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Four months later, he told me he’d been seeing someone else for a year and he wanted to be with her, not me. I was devastated. Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. It took us ages to sell and we ended up accepting less than we paid. And with fees and an early repayment charge on the mortgage, it swallowed everything I had put in. I had to move into a house share, which has been awful, but I’m determined not to let this ruin my plan to get on the housing ladder as soon as I can. It’s been hard but I’ve managed to save just over £14,000 for a deposit. I’m lucky and earn a good salary of £58,000, but even so, buying on my own feels like a massive mountain to climb. I’ve just heard about a new Help to Buy scheme though and wondered if I would be eligible? I know technically I’m not a first, first-time buyer but I feel like I still deserve the help? Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced the ‘Your First Home’ scheme last month ]Picture: EPA) The answer… Sophie, this absolutely sucks. You’ve done everything right and then it’s all come crumbling down around your ears through no fault of your own. I am furious with this ex of yours on your behalf – why he allowed the purchase of your flat to go ahead when he knew he was cheating is just unforgivably selfish. On the new government Your First Home scheme, you’re right. Last week (26/09/26) Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced a revamp of the Help to Buy equity loan scheme. It’s expected to offer first-time buyers in England a government-backed equity loan up to 20% of the purchase price of a new build home. Buyers will need a 2.5% deposit and, providing they pass the usual affordability tests, should be able to get a mortgage to cover the rest. The details are due to be confirmed at the end of the month when the Chancellor John Healey delivers his Budget. There’s no denying that it will make homeownership considerably more affordable for thousands of hopeful buyers. But – and I am so sorry to tell you this – it’s highly unlikely you’re going to qualify. I know. It’s seriously bitter pill to swallow given you almost certainly would have had your ex just done the decent thing and stopped the purchase of your first home before the contract was signed. Putting to one side the rage that I feel about the injustice of this, you do have options. It’s not a perfect solution, but you might consider looking at another of the government’s schemes – shared ownership. The advantage of this is that you don’t need to be a first-time buyer to access shared ownership in England. You’re earning £58,000 which means you’re under the £80,000 household income cap to buy outside of London. (In London, the cap is £90,000.) The basic premise is that you buy a share of a home, usually between 25% and 75%, though some providers will let you buy from as little as 10%, and pay rent on the rest. The deposit is based on your share, so your £14,000 is likely to allow you to buy a reasonable slice of the property. Bear in mind you will have extra costs – the mortgage plus rent, service charges and leasehold ownership. Still, it is a plausible route for you. Before you decide, I strongly suggest you speak to a whole-of-market mortgage broker who will be able to walk you through the numbers. I’d also ask them what you could borrow if you were to buy something on your own without the help of any schemes. Clearly, you’ve gone through the painful process of purchasing a home before so you’ll be aware of the extra costs you will need to keep some money back to cover. Legal fees, mortgage valuation and a survey should you want one, moving costs and the inevitable unforeseen extras. Sophie – you’ve had a raw deal but you’re clearly one resilient woman. You’ll get there, I have no doubt. Your First Home Scheme at a glance Provided by the HomeOwners Alliance Deposit and mortgage: Buyers are expected to need a 2.5% deposit, with a 20% government-backed Help to Buy-style equity loan and a mortgage covering the remaining 77.5%. Interest:The equity loan will have an initial interest-free period, although how long this will last has not yet been confirmed. Eligibility: The scheme will be for first time buyers in England buying a new-build from a participating developer. Household income and local property price caps will apply. Applications: The scheme isn’t open yet. Pre-registration is expected to open by the end of 2026, with further details due at the Autumn Budget.So, how is this different to past schemes? Your First Home has similarities with the former Help to Buy scheme, but there are important differences and it is too early to say whether it is a direct replacement. Despite the similar name, Your First Home and the First Homes Scheme are different schemes. 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