Making shared ownership work for everyone

Shared ownership is a vital part of meeting the country’s housing needs. It can offer a route onto the housing ladder for those who may not have the financial means to secure a full mortgage or enough of a deposit for the open market.

The National Housing Federation (NHF) wants shared ownership to work for everyone. We know that some shared owners have faced challenges, so we welcome the launch of the Shared Ownership Code, which aims to raise standards across the sector and improve outcomes for everyone involved. 

The code

Developed by the Shared Ownership Council (SOC) and its secretariat, Social Finance, the code has been shaped by shared owners and organisations across the housing sector. This includes several NHF members – Clarion, Housing 21, L&Q, LiveWest, Onward, SNG, and Stonewater – who have been actively piloting the code over the last four months. They have been pivotal in providing feedback and incorporating key learnings into the final version of the code.

The code is made up of seven overarching principles and addresses each aspect of customer experience. It has been designed to incorporate existing legislation and policies as well as drive best practice. 

The code’s objectives include:

• Improving service charge transparency.
• Guaranteeing shared owners a minimum 12-month defects period following purchase completion (following a transition period), with the aim to move towards 24 months in the future.
• Ensuring that staff involved in shared ownership benefit from the right training.
• Clear standards on how to handle shared owner financial hardship.
• A more consistent staircasing, selling, and lease extension process.
• Complaints management and a focus on continuous improvement.

Next steps

Housing associations who provide shared ownership are being actively encouraged to sign up. The code will be featured in a special session at the NHF’s Affordable Home Ownership conference in Birmingham on 4 June 2025. If you have any questions about the session or the code itself, please get in touch. 

The NHF will continue to work closely with our members, the SOC, the government, and other stakeholders as the code is rolled out.