selling

Shared ownership: how it works and how to sell

Shared ownership explained: buying a share and paying rent, who it suits, staircasing, and how to sell a shared ownership home through your landlord.

4 min read
Last reviewed 31 October 2026
By Your Property Check team

Part 1 of 5

How shared ownership works

You buy a share of the property and pay rent to a landlord on the rest, according to GOV.UK. The share you can buy is between 10% and 75% of the home's full market value. GOV.UK says it is usually 25% to 75%, with some homes offering a 10% share. You can pay for your share with a mortgage or savings, plus a deposit, which GOV.UK says is usually between 5% and 10% of the share you are buying.

You also usually pay ground rent and service charges, for example for communal areas. Every shared ownership home, whether a house or a flat, is leasehold. That matters when you sell, because a buyer's solicitor will look at the lease. Our guide to ground rent and peppercorn rent explains the lease payments in more detail. We read the GOV.UK pages on 31 October 2026.

Part 2 of 5

Who it suits

GOV.UK says the scheme is for people who cannot afford all of the deposit and mortgage payments for a home that meets their needs. Its eligibility page sets a household income limit of £80,000 a year or less, or £90,000 a year or less in London. You must also fit at least one situation, such as being a first-time buyer, having owned before but being unable to buy now, forming a new household, being an existing shared owner who wants to move, or owning a home and being unable to afford a suitable new one. Some homes ask for a local connection. Check the current criteria on GOV.UK before you rely on them.

Homes England, the government's housing and regeneration agency, is one of the public bodies working in affordable housing. Your own landlord, not Homes England, is the party you deal with when you sell.

Part 3 of 5

Staircasing: buying more of your home

You can buy more shares later. GOV.UK calls this staircasing, and it lowers your rent, because rent is based on the landlord's remaining share.

Shares of 10% or more can usually be bought at any time. Some older leases only allow 25% or more, and some newer leases allow 5% or more.
If you bought on or after 1 April 2021, you may be able to buy 1% shares each year for the first 15 years. Check with your landlord.
You pay for a valuation by a surveyor registered with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). If you decide to buy more shares, you must buy them within 3 months of the valuation date, or the home must be revalued.
The landlord may charge an administration fee each time you buy a share of 5% or more. GOV.UK says it typically ranges from about £150 to £500. You pay your own legal fees.

Staircasing can matter before a sale. A larger share can mean a larger sale, but it is a cost and a commitment, so ask your landlord what applies under your lease.

Part 4 of 5

How to sell a shared ownership home

You can sell at any time. What happens next depends on how much of the home you own.

Tell your landlord. If you own 100%, GOV.UK says you can usually sell on the open market, for example through an estate agent. If you do not, you must tell your landlord you want to sell, so they can look for a buyer for your share.
Check your lease type. If the home has a designated protected area, mandatory buyback lease, you cannot sell on the open market. The landlord buys the home or arranges for someone else to buy it.
The nomination period. The landlord has a period of time, 4, 8 or 12 weeks depending on the lease, to find a buyer. GOV.UK says the period does not apply in some cases, such as when a leaseholder dies or a court requires a transfer of ownership.
If no buyer is found. You can then sell your share yourself on the open market.
Valuation and price. If the landlord finds a buyer, the sale price will be no more than the current market value of your share, based on a valuation. A RICS-registered surveyor must do it, you or your landlord can arrange it, and you pay for it.
Costs. The landlord may charge a selling fee, which your key information document or lease should show. You are responsible for seeking legal advice and paying your legal fees.

GOV.UK says the landlord may offer to buy back your share, but only in exceptional circumstances and if they have the funds. Do not plan around a buyback.

Part 5 of 5

Before you list

Read your lease and the key information document, and ask your landlord for their selling process in writing.
Check your service charge and ground rent are paid up, since a buyer's solicitor will ask.
Allow for the nomination period when you plan your move. It may delay an open market sale.
Compare routes with our sale method comparison before you decide.

This page is general information for England, not legal advice. Shared ownership leases differ, so your own lease and your landlord's rules come first.

Our take

Tell your landlord first, then plan the sale

Shared ownership is leasehold, and GOV.UK says that when you want to sell, you tell your landlord, who has a set period to find a buyer first. We think the best preparation is to understand that sequence before you speak to any agent or buyer.

Your Property Check helps with the numbers that follow. Our free sale method comparison shows auction, estate agent and cash buyer on net proceeds and timescale, so you can see what each route could leave you with.

Compare sale routes

Our opinion, drawn from the facts on this page: not advice and not a forecast. We earn from OfferCheck reports and from introducing sellers to cash buyers, so weigh it with that in mind (see our disclosure). We are not authorised or regulated by the FCA.

Questions, answered

Frequently asked questions

How does shared ownership work?

You buy a share of a home, between 10% and 75% of its full market value according to GOV.UK, and pay rent to a landlord on the rest. You usually also pay ground rent and service charges, and the home is leasehold.

Can you sell a shared ownership home on the open market?

If you own 100%, GOV.UK says you can usually sell on the open market. If not, you tell your landlord first, and they have a period to find a buyer. If they do not, you can sell your share yourself. Mandatory buyback leases are an exception.

How long is the nomination period when selling shared ownership?

GOV.UK says the landlord has 4, 8 or 12 weeks to find a buyer, depending on your lease. It does not apply in some cases, such as when a leaseholder dies or a court requires a transfer of ownership.

What does it cost to sell a shared ownership home?

You pay for the RICS valuation and your own legal fees, and the landlord may charge a selling fee. Check the amount in your key information document or lease, or ask your landlord. We give no total, as no official source does.

What is staircasing in shared ownership?

Staircasing means buying more shares in your home later. GOV.UK says it lowers your rent, because rent is based on the landlord's remaining share. You pay for a valuation and may pay a landlord administration fee.

Where this comes from

Sources

Last reviewed 31 October 2026 by the Your Property Check team. This page is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. For your own situation, speak to a conveyancing solicitor or another qualified professional.