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I think I've screwed up my help to buy ISA please tell me it's OK!

I'm a first time buyer, exchanged yesterday, and I'm worried I've screwed up and I'm going to lose my help to buy bonus!

We were intending to use our bonus towards our 10% mortgage deposit, not realising the exchange deposit HAD to be 10%. We were expecting to be able to have a slightly smaller exchange deposit and make up the difference at completion using the bonus. 

After a mad scramble we managed to scrape up just enough to cover the shortfall and sent the full 10% to the solicitor.

So now we are in a situation where at completion when you add up the deposit we've already paid, the isa bonus and the mortgage we will have too much money by exactly the amount of the bonus. 

I know you can't use the bonus for anything other than the actual purchase, so does our solicitor keep back a bit of the mortgage money and give to us? Is that allowed? How do they show the money left over isn't the bonus? Have I screwed up royally and lost the money?

I've emailed the solicitor (obviously) but I'm hoping someone here can put my mind at rest before Monday.

Thanks.


Comments

  • alex_163163
    alex_163163 Posts: 310 Forumite
    Seventh Anniversary 100 Posts
    edited 21 March 2020 at 8:18AM
    Don’t panic!
    alll your sources of funds (deposit, mortgage advance, bonus) just gets added into a ‘pool’ of money. Anything over the purchase & solicitor fee amount will just get returned to you by your solicitor.

  • Thank you, appreciate the reassurance!
    I can stop feeling sick (mostly) and wait till monday!

    I'm never moving house again. Luckily its a bungalow so we can stay there till we're 102.....
  • Sncjw
    Sncjw Posts: 3,582 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    You use normal money savings to go towards the deposits the bonus isnt paid until you complete. That money is to do what you wish I believe. A lot use some of the money for the solictor fees. 

    I don’t understand how it corolates to the mortgage 
    Mortgage free wannabe 

    Actual mortgage stating amount £75,150

    Overpayment paused to pay off cc 

    Starting balance £66,565.45

    Current balance £56099

    Cc around £3200 

This discussion has been closed.
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