Name: Adewale

Job Title: Risk Manager

Type of home: Three-bedroom apartment

Deposit: £1,236.93

Monthly rent: £1,340 – roughly saving £400

Adewale and his wife had been renting a house in Thamesmead, in the London Borough of Greenwich for 3 years, but with three young children aged 4, 5 and 8 they were eager to leave city life behind and find a new home in a leafy suburb.

Adewale comments, “Living in Thamesmead was suitable for my wife and I, however with three kids all at school age, we knew we had to find a suburb that could offer all the things we felt our current life in London was lacking – a like-minded community, great local schools and plenty of green space.”

The search for their ideal home initially led Adewale to consider Shared Ownership schemes, but his household income did not fall within the eligibility threshold.

He comments, “We know eventually we’d like to become homeowners, so we began looking into our options. Initially, I was very interested in Shared Ownership as my wife and I weren’t in a financial position to buy outright but wanted to establish a permanent home for the kids so they could feel settled. I found Shared Ownership with L&Q but soon realised we didn’t meet the financial criteria for Shared Ownership.”

It was during my time on the L&Q website that I stumbled across the Rent to Buy scheme. The opportunity to rent at an affordable rate while saving for a deposit felt like the perfect stepping stone towards homeownership. Clicking through the L&Q website, I saw that Rent to Buy was offered at Capstone Green. The houses were exactly what we were looking for, and after researching the local area, we discovered just how perfectly this development matched our needs.”

Rent to Buy is government-backed scheme that helps customers transition from renting to homeownership. Rents are set at approximately 80% of the market rate for similar properties, with the savings on rent going towards a deposit for purchasing a home.

Adewale explains, “When we first visited Capstone Green, it instantly felt like home. The location is fantastic – surrounded by greenery and close to Capstone Park, offering a much more peaceful setting for my family and I than our previous home. My extended family is within easy reach in South London, so everything seemed to align perfectly.”

The house itself is everything we’d hoped for. We had the opportunity to pick the corner plot which comes with a large garden, offering plenty of space for the kids. What really stood out is the sense of community here as there’s lots of families and everyone is so friendly. The house is brand new and so everything works as it should. Not to mention, the kids have settled in so well at their new schools. It truly feels like we’re on the right path to homeownership and giving our kids the best possible start.”

Adewale and his wife submitted a joint application with L&Q for a three-bedroom Rent to Buy house at Capstone Green, moving in in February 2025.

 “Overall, it was a simple and fast process,” Adewale adds, “after we applied, we got the keys within 8 weeks!”

Rent to Buy seemed too good to be true – but we’ve found our dream home at Capstone Green! I’m surprised how little-known it is and that’s why I’ve been telling all my friends and family. The fact that I can afford a large three-bedroom home in a popular Kent location whilst still saving £400 a month on rent is mind-blowing.”

Looking ahead, we definitely see ourselves staying here for the long term and our goal is to eventually buy the house we’re in now. Over the next 3 to 5 years, we’re excited about making some additional improvements and having the opportunity to add our own personal design touches to the house. Rent to Buy is allowing us to build up our credit and so we’re optimistic that we’ll be in a strong enough position to buy directly when the time comes.”

L&Q is marketing Rent to Buy homes at Capstone Green, with prices from £1,000 PCM for a two-bedroom apartment. Capstone Green offers a range of two- and three-bedroom apartments and three- and four-bedroom houses. To find out more please clcik here.