Owning your home brings extra responsibilities and costs compared with being a Housing Executive tenant. You could lose your home if you don't keep up your mortgage repayments.

• Repairs
• Mortgage payments
• Insurance
• Responsibilities to the Housing Executive

Repairs

You will be responsible for carrying out your own repairs and maintaining the property. Make sure that the Housing Executive has carried out any outstanding repairs before you buy your home. The Housing Executive won't be responsible for any repairs after the sale.

Like other homeowners you may be able to get a grant to help pay for some repairs or adaptations. Contact your local Housing Executive Grants Office for more information on what grants are available, but remember at the moment the Housing Executive can only approve mandatory grants.

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Mortgage payments

Your mortgage payments will depend on:

• the type of mortgage you have,
• interest rates

You may get help with your mortgage payments if you become unemployed or are unable to work. In serious cases you could lose your home because of your mortgage arrears.

If you only bought a share of your property, you will still be responsible for paying some rent to the Housing Executive, as well as your mortgage.

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Insurance

You must take out buildings insurance when you buy your home. You may also want to take out contents insurance.

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Responsibilities to the Housing Executive

The Housing Executive can also take action against former tenants who are carrying out antisocial behaviour.

If you only purchased a share in the property, you will still be responsible for paying some rent to the Housing Executive.  The amount of rent you have to pay depends on how much of the property you own.