<p><span>The government has extended the practical completion deadline for the current Help to Buy equity loan scheme by two months. </span><span></span></p><p><span>The deadline will now move from the end of December to February 28 2021, in recognition of the disruption the coronavirus pandemic has caused the housebuilding industry. </span><span></span></p><p><span>For home buyers who reserved a home under Help to Buy before June 30 2020 and “are experiencing severe delays due to Covid-19,” the legal completion deadline can potentially be extended from March 31 to May 31 2021. But for those who have reserved since July 1, this deadline remains the end of March. </span><span></span></p><p><span>The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said Homes England would assess the situation of those who had reserved before June 30 “and look to provide an extension [to the legal deadline] where necessary”. </span><span></span></p><p><span>MHCLG also announced that the new Help to Buy scheme would be implemented as planned from April 1 2021, with “no plans for further extensions” beyond March 2023. The new iteration introduces regional price caps and will be for first time buyers only. </span><span></span></p><p><span>Housing minister Christopher Pincher said: “Today’s announcement will help provide certainty and assurance for Help to Buy customers whose new …