Onward
Onward, one of the largest housing associations in the North West, took part in the Shared Ownership Code pilot to help shape a more consistent and transparent approach to shared ownership.
Committed to making a positive difference in the communities it serves, Onward’s involvement was driven by a fundamental belief in the Code’s guiding principles, alongside its desire to ensure a northern voice was able to influence the Code.
Participation in the pilot aligned with ongoing work to improve aftercare services at Onward, informed by the Housing Ombudsman’s insights into shared ownership. It also offered opportunities for them to learn from peers and contribute to sector-wide improvements.
When testing the Code’s requirements against current practices, housing providers participating in the pilot used a Red-Amber-Green (RAG) risk tracker to identify gaps and areas for development. As a result of Onward’s analysis, key areas of focus in the pilot included:
Sales & Marketing: Actions are being taken to improve accessibility of marketing materials, ensure clearer information on service charges and council tax, and confirm a 14-day cooling-off period with refundable reservation fees.
Defects: While supportive in principle of a defects period that aligns with other new homes, Onward flagged practical challenges around implementation. This included where housing providers offering 24 months' defects periods voluntarily would be at a disadvantage when negotiating with developers to secure new shared ownership homes. As a result of feedback from Onward and others, the Code has been adjusted to make it more practical to implement.
Service Charges: Onward identified the need for earlier and clearer communication, with better internal coordination around service charge information.
Living as a Shared Owner: Updates are underway to improve website guidance and transparency around fees and hardship policies.
Complaints: While confident in its complaints process, Onward will explore improvements to subcontractor issue management.
Onward’s involvement in the pilot helped prioritise key service improvements and highlighted the value of greater consistency across the sector.
“The Shared Ownership Code offers huge benefits to customers, by bringing the sector together to create greater consistency in how we communicate and deliver shared ownership. Having more housing providers sign-up to the Code is vital for future-proofing the delivery of shared ownership and protecting the long-term health of the secondary market. We have a mutual responsibility to make this model work – the Code is a strong mechanism for bringing housing providers together to deliver on that shared goal”