Help to Buy not answering phone

sunny_money

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/manage-your-help-to-buy-equity-loan

The Help to Buy phone line is not being answered and cuts out after 1 hr. I and others have been trying for hours, days. This is causing many people emotional and financial distress with valuations expiring etc. I’m going to email now, but it’s unacceptable they are not answering the phone. Anyone know why and who to complain to? Homes England doesn’t seem to care. 

marmitesocks

Hi, yes I am experiencing the exact same problem. I am surprised there are not more posts on this, as surely this is a huge issue affecting many people.

Key changes
From what I have been able to uncover, five years ago the government agency, Homes England, contracted out the administration of their Help to Buy (HTB) scheme to Target HCA. As I understand it this 5-year contract came to an end in mid-June 2023, and the new contract was secured by Equiniti Gateway Service and this in turn was then contracted to Lenvi. 

The Help to Buy (HTB) administration moved from the management of Target HCA to Lenvi on or around the 16th June 2023.

Evidently this was done quietly, as I have been unable to find any announcements/news stories, and everyone I have spoken to in related areas (solicitors etc) were unaware. We only know of the change because the relevant GOV.UK page updated its equity loan administrator details on this date.

New contact information
Lenvi (previously Equiniti Gateway Services) is a private company who have been appointed by the Homes and Communities Agency (trading as Homes England) to administer the Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme.

Email Customer Service team: customerservices@myhelptobuyloan.co.uk

Phone Customer Service team: 0300 1234123 Our phone lines are open 8am to 8pm from Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm on Saturday (excluding UK public holidays)

Post: Help to Buy customer services, PO Box 5262, Lancing, BN99 9HE

Website: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/manage-your-help-to-buy-equity-loan

My situation
My view is that the Lenvi takeover has caused all these issues. In the last few weeks I have been unable to reach them by phone and my emails go unanswered. When phoning, I stay on hold and am then cut off just after the 1 hour point.

I am trying to sell my property and need to complete the full redemption very soon. This is having a massive impact on my sale.

If you are experiencing similar, please add to this thread.

mimhop

I am having the same issue! About to remortgage, if I don’t complete this Friday I’ll be moved on to a variable rate, my valuation (which they demanded and I had to pay for) expires next month. I’m worried I’m going to have to pay even more to get this sorted!! Is there anyone that can help? Feel like there’s no point complaining to them as there seems to be nobody in their office…

sunny_money

Thanks @marmitesocks.

I finally got through yesterday evening. I asked what the problem was and it just seems like a massive lack of capacity rather than all staff except one were sick today for example. I asked if they could fix their phone system so it doesn’t hang up after 1 hr. Before I knew this was Lenvi I asked for clarity on whether I was speaking to Homes England or a company and they said Homes England, so they are concealing the truth because it is a reputation risk to Lenvi.

I have contacted some media about the situation and suggest everyone does the same to pressure Lenvi to improve. 

sunny_money

I believe this is Lenvi's details: 
LENVI LIMITED people - Find and update company information - GOV.UK (company-information.service.gov.uk) 
Contact Us - Lenvi 

I phoned them on 0844 811 8039 and they said that the Help to Buy part is a 'different arm' and therefore they are unable to help. I said that it may be a different arm but it is the same company so can I speak to a manager that overseas this arm or have your complaints email address, and they refused and said all they can do is give me the Help to Buy phone number and email?! Lenvi are protecting themselves and have no concern for their Help to Buy clients. 

kingstreet

Lowest bidder for a quasi-Government admin contract. Surprised anyone can make Target look good!

sunny_money

I phoned the Financial Conduct Authority on 0800 111 6768. They were really helpful. The issue has been logged with them, and I need to find out whether the actual services they offer Help to Buy clients are regulated services, this is different from the company itself being regulated. If so, a formal complaint can be made. If not, the FCA may still look into it if enough people complain, considering the serious consequences for individuals. They gave me these details for Lenvi/Equiniti: 0345 266 1003, zoe.jackson@equiniti.com, eqcs-complaints@equiniti.com.

chanz4

I have a direct complaint handler email if pm for it

sunny_money

chanz4 said:

I have a direct complaint handler email if pm for it

There is the generic one: complaints@myhelptobuyloan.co.uk, but do you have a different one?

marmitesocks

Thanks everyone, and sorry to hear you are also experiencing this extremely stressful situation.

A few more updates / thoughts from me....

This update tweet from @helptobuy (Lenvi) has a lot of people replying to express issues they are having: 

https://twitter.com/helptobuy/status/1670687902416662532

Homes England
I spoke to Homes England yesterday (thanks to @sunny_money for the idea). Tried to navigate to the Help To Buy department using the switchboard options, however any sub-option within the HTB choices only takes you to pre-recorded information lines. I eventually managed to speak to someone by selecting the final 'speak to the advisor about anything else' (or similar) option.

Gentleman I spoke to sounded broken. He said they are receiving many complaints (but wouldn't give me a ballpark of how many), said he was planning on leaving his job as a result of this issue (I took from that that he is receiving a lot of angry calls).

He advised that all that would happen if I emailed into Homes England they would reply with the Lenvi complaints department email (complaints@myhelptobuyloan.co.uk). I pointed out that (a) I had little faith in Lenvi to respond to a complaint and (b) it was the appointing of Lenvi that I wanted to log a complaint on. He advised that there was no system for me to do this but said he was taking our conversation and putting it into an email to their internal Help To Buy people. I have little expectation that I will hear anything back.

Professionals experiencing same issues
My solicitors also tried to contact Lenvi yesterday. In a way it was reassuring to know that even they struggled; they waited on hold for over an hour, when finally managed to speak to an adviser they were given incorrect information and then eventually cut off after 2.5 hours without the issue being resolved.

Thanks everyone for the advice and ideas above. I'll have a read through.

Sbrads

I am in the painstaking process of trying to get my redemption statement and today I have been informed by someone at Homes England that the EWS1 form is only valid for 6 months. Surely that can't be right? The EWS1 form for the block my flat is in is only three years old and never thought there would be an issue with it!