Advice for househunters 'should be available to all'

Advice should be made available to all people looking to buy a new home, according to one institute. In a statement that may be of interest to those looking to buy a house in Scotland, the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) has urged people to seek advice when purchasing a new home. Although advice is mainly targeted at those in crisis, the CIH has commented that people with less acute needs should also be accounted for and that they should be able to receive guidance concerning their income and long-term housing options. In a statement that may be welcomed by people looking to buy a house in Scotland, Sarah Webb, CIH chief executive, said: “We need to develop our advice services further to help people both in affordable rented housing and home ownership to sustain their home and make plans for the future.” The CIH recently welcomed the provision for homeowners made in the annual Budget, which allows for more access to ownership through shared equity products.