[kelly58]

Does anyone know how you go about getting a grant for building a house from The Crofting Commision ?
Does the land need to be crofting land ?

[shygirl]

phone the CC in inverness (01463 663450) there are some really helpful ladies there who will you through everything.
im sure its got to be tenanted croft land, not owner occupied to get a grant.

[kelly58]

Many thanks Shygirl, our friends have just been let down for a self build mortgage just trying to think of ways to help

[shygirl]

i was speaking to them about grants for barns. they will pay 50% of the cost if you are under 40yrs old or 40% if over 40. whether its owner occupied or tenanted.
thats a fair whack whack of money when our quote for a barn was £40k.

[Hamish Crofter]

The CCHGS ( crofting counties housing grant scheme) is only available to tenant crofters not owner occupiers. It's not administered by the CC but by the same Scottish government department that does all the agricultural grants. When the legislation changed the commission stopped administering grants or having the role of providing any kind of funding ect, so there are no grants from the commission.
There are three rates for the housing grant scheme dependant on your geographical area. 11k, 17k or 22k. There are no further amounts so it wouldn't fund a build, it will just contribute. Basically if you are a tenant and apply you will get it. If you are an owner occupier there is a way around it so you can also get it...........
Grants for barns, equipment and other things are another scheme, CCAGS. These too are not handled by the commission.

[shygirl]

If you are an owner occupier there is a way around it so you can also get it...........

how?

[oor wullie]

As of the latest act (a couple of years ago) I thought owner occupiers and tenants were treated the same.  They are for other types of grants.

[Hamish Crofter]

I recently attended a talk by the guy who is in charge of overseeing both the CCAGS and housing grants schemes. Apparently the housing grant is administered slightly differently to all the others, hence the tenants only clause. It's because the source of the funding is different apparently.

The open way around it if you are an owner occupier is simply to legally register your partner/ spouse as the tenant. All legal and above board apparently........

[pigalicious]

I imagine the best way forward would be to apply to the CC and see what they say.I think that CCAGS are only available to crofters now (used to be smaller % payment to non crofters). However, building of, or work carried out on houses does  not qualify for grants in the CCAGS as Hamish points out, but not sure crofting grants for houses on land that has been de-crofted will be available.  P

[crofter 65]

"they will pay 50% of the cost if you are under 40yrs old or 40% if over 40." Where did you hear this? I was not aware that there was age limits to the grants system.

[shygirl]

that was in reference to grants for a barn. i spoke to the CC in Shetland and thats what they said. if it wasnt shetland, it was inverness, cant quite remember.

[crofter 65]

I hope it's not right because I am just a wee bit over 40 and hoping to build a general purpose shed.
The age limit for the young entrants scheme is 40, if it's still available, but as far as I know the grant for a shed / barn is 50%. The trouble is that when speaking to the CC or SERAD is in my opinion that unless you get the right person they don't always give the right advice.       

[shygirl]

i dont know. i did a self taught crash course in crofting as we were looking to move up north this summer but couldnt find what i was looking for so have decided to stay put for now. the CC were very helpful but i cant say if they were correct in what they said.

[oor wullie]

It is all explained clearly in the application guidance notes

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0044/00443301.pdf

The rate is 40% in non LFA, 50% in a LFA and if you are under 40 you get an extra 10%

The crofters commission (or whatever it is called now) does not administer the grants so don't phone them for advice on the technicalities.  Grants are administered by SGRPID, again see the guidance notes which tell you the number of your local SGRPID office.  Any time I have spoken to them they have been helpful and reliable.

[MKay]

Part of the legislation states- if you create a tenancy for the purpose of making someone qualify for the housing grant this is a disqualifing situation. Paraphrased obviously.

An owner occupier will qualify for the housing grant only for the first eight years after the Croft becomes purchaced from the estate.