Plaid Cymru has called for a rethink of the Help to Buy initiative in Wales, calling it "impractical and unfair" that people who have bought homes under the scheme are banned from doing home improvements.
The Help to Buy scheme run by the Welsh Government allows people to buy a new-build home with help in the form of a shared equity loan of up to 20% of the price of the property.

Responding to someone who had bought their home under Help to Buy and wanted to know how value-adding improvements they had made to it would affect the amount they had to pay back to the government, Assembly Member Leslie Griffiths said that "home improvements are not permitted".

He advised that the homeowner should "cease doing any further work on their property until they have repaid their shared equity loan".

Now, Plaid Cymru spokesperson for housing Jocelyn Davies has hit back, saying that homeowners should be allowed to make the improvements they want.

"While it is not unusual for conditions to be placed on making changes to a house bought under a shared equity scheme like Help to Buy, an outright ban is impractical and unfair," she said.

"Many new-build houses are left by developers without the finishing touches. Help to Buy is supposed to help those who would not otherwise be able to afford to buy a house find a property that suits them. They should be free to make changes to turn their new-build property into a comfortable home.

"I urge the Welsh Government to rethink this ban and to make sure that all those who have bought homes using the Help to Buy scheme fully understand the rules."

However, a Welsh Government spokesperson said the ban only extended to major improvements such as building extensions and conservatories.

"There is nothing to prevent owners of Help to Buy Wales properties from undertaking small DIY jobs to make their homes more comfortable," she said.

"Significant home improvements are not permitted on Help to Buy Wales properties in order to protect customers from making investments which would increase the value of their property and, as a result, also increase their debt to the Welsh government.

"This approach is consistent with Help to Buy shared equity initiatives across the UK."