Frequently Asked Questions

Shared Ownership Code (‘the Code’) – Operated by NHQB since October 2025

  • The Shared Ownership Code is a code of practice that shared ownership housing providers can voluntarily choose to adopt. It sets out detailed requirements for how those housing providers serve shared owners and prospective shared owners.

    The Code aims to ensure transparency, fairness, and improved support for shared owners in marketing, purchasing, and management of homes. It has been designed to build on and complement existing regulation, raising standards across the sector and improving outcomes for shared owners.

    Since October 2025, the Code has been operated by the New Homes Quality Board (NHQB).

  • The Shared Ownership Council published the first draft Shared Ownership Code in June 2024, which was developed by Social Finance - a not-for-profit enterprise that provides the capacity and capability to run the Council – with input from a working group drawn from across shared ownership industry practitioners.

    The Council then ran a comprehensive consultation between June – September 2024 to gather feedback on the Code and the shared ownership experience. The consultation included a consumer survey (of 1,700 current and prospective shared owners), regional consumer focus groups, and a survey completed by 50 industry bodies, including nearly 30 housing providers.

    Feedback from the consultation shaped a revised version of the Code, published in December 2024. Between December 2024 – March 2025, the Council then piloted the Code with eight housing providers to ensure it was easy and practical to implement when launched industry-wide.

    Insights from the consultation, pilot, and wider feedback shaped the final version of the Shared Ownership Code, published in June 2025. Since October 2025, the Code has been operated by New Homes Quality Board (NHQB).

    Providers can now register their interest in adopting the Code via its website, with formal applications opening from 3 November 2025.

  • For any questions on adopting the Shared Ownership Code, please contact the Code Operator via its dedicated website (https://www.sharedownershipcode.org.uk/) or email: info@sharedownershipcode.org.uk

Shared Ownership Council

  • The Shared Ownership Council was an initiative set up to drive an independent focus on improvements to the shared owner experience and unlock a stronger and fairer shared ownership market.

    It was a time-limited initiative, not a legal entity. It was led by a Board, chaired by Ann Santry CBE, and facilitated by Social Finance – a not-for-profit enterprise that provided the capacity and capability to run the Council. It was funded by grant contributions from 34 organisations and was responsible for, and remained committed to, delivering consumer-focused aims enshrined in its grant agreements.

  • All activity at the Shared Ownership Council was underpinned by its core purpose of driving meaningful improvements to the shared owner experience, with the ultimate goal of unlocking a stronger and fairer shared ownership market.

    Shared Ownership Code

    Following extensive consumer and industry consultation, the Council developed and launched the Shared Ownership Code for housing providers. The Code was designed to standardise best practices and consumer protection for shared ownership, ensuring it had a sustainable, consumer-focused future.

    Senior Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE)

    The Council convened its Senior Advisory Group of Experts quarterly, comprising representatives from each of its 34 funder organisations. These groups were designed to communicate progress, understand perspectives, and explore new areas of focus and improvement.

    The Shared Ownership Council’s independence and cross-sector remit meant that, in response to demand from industry participants, it expanded from its primary focus on the Code to begin considering the potential for efforts on data and reform. Focused progress in these areas made a measured impact:

    Data

    Improving data and information on shared ownership’s impact was identified as necessary. The Council reviewed the landscape of effort on data in shared ownership and convened a working group on data and evidence to make recommendations (with a publication forthcoming).

    Reform and Standardisation

    Alongside the rollout of the Code, the Council believed there was room for thoughtful, targeted reform to help shared ownership make sense to consumers. It facilitated discussions with members of the SAGE advisory group to identify promising options for government-led reform.

    Engagement with Government, Public Bodies and the Wider Shared Ownership Ecosystem

    The Council proactively engaged with the Government, public bodies, industry and member organisations, and shared ownership campaigners to foster collaboration in the movement to drive meaningful improvements to the shared owner experience.

  • We are pleased to have a Board in place with members who are well-respected and known in the sector, offering a range of insights from many years in the housing space.

    We were pleased to have a Board in place with members who were well-respected and known in the sector, offering a range of insights from many years in the housing space.

    This included Ann Santry CBE as our Chair, alongside Paula Higgins, Brendan Sarsfield, and Janet Pope as our other Board members, with Peter Williams serving as our independent advisor – their bios could all be found on the About Us page.

  • The Shared Ownership Council had 34 funders – all the progress it achieved was made possible because of their commitment and ongoing support.

    We were deeply grateful to the following organisations that backed our mission to drive better experiences for shared owners and best practice across the industry.

    Abri Group
    Bromford
    Cast Can
    Censeo Financial
    Clarion Housing Group
    heylo
    Home Group
    Housing 21
    The Hyde Group
    Legal & General
    L&Q
    Leeds Building Society
    LiveWest
    Lloyds Banking Group
    Lloyds Living
    MAB
    Metro Finance
    Moat Homes
    Metropolitan Thames Valley
    Newbury Building Society
    Onward Homes
    Orbit Group
    Peabody
    Platform Housing Group
    Red Loft
    Sage Homes
    Share to Buy
    SNG (Sovereign Network Group)
    SOWN Shared Ownership
    Sparrow Shared Ownership
    Stonewater
    Vistry Group
    VIVID
    West Brom Building Society

  • We believed that shared ownership had an important role to play in addressing housing needs and enabling more people to access home ownership. In recent years, both house prices and social housing waiting lists had skyrocketed – if this told us anything, it was that all solutions needed to be explored to address the affordable housing crisis.

    Separate from the demand for social rented homes, there was a need for a more affordable home ownership product that supported those who could not buy outright and who would never be eligible for social rent. Shared ownership offered this – it helped bridge the gap between the private rental sector and home ownership, offering people a more affordable chance to own a stake in their home.

    With more than 200,000 households already in shared ownership, this was a tenure with strong foundations and potential for growth – and one that was capable of offering stability, security, and an affordable route into home ownership in uncertain times.

  • While shared ownership worked well for many, it was no secret that there had been cases where residents felt ill-informed, short-changed, or even trapped by the product. Challenges with service charges, property defects, and a lack of transparency had left some shared owners in difficulty.

    These issues were exactly what the Shared Ownership Code was designed to address. They were areas that had been raised and explored extensively during consultation with shared owners and the sector, which—alongside the pilot with housing providers—helped shape the final Code.

    However, with issues like service charges, this wasn’t just a challenge affecting many shared owners, particularly those living in flats; it was a broader leasehold issue, especially in mixed-tenure blocks managed by third parties. But it could affect shared owners more acutely, particularly those new to leasehold. Research also showed that shared ownership satisfaction rates were much higher for those living in houses compared to those in flats. Additionally, the research indicated that shared ownership tended to work better—and had higher satisfaction rates—outside of London.

    Overall, the Council recognised the need for a stronger and fairer shared ownership market and believed that the Shared Ownership Code would help address the challenges many shared owners faced. Beyond the Code, there remained more that could be done to reform shared ownership.

  • The Shared Ownership Council was established as a time-limited initiative to provide an independent focus on improving the shared owner experience. We were formed with the core aim of developing the Shared Ownership Code for housing providers, and having achieved our purpose and ensured the Code has a sustainable, long-term home, the Council formally concluded on 16 October 2025.

Selecting the Code Operator

  • The New Homes Quality Board (NHQB) sets the standard for the quality of new homes and the customer service provided by developers in the UK.

    NQHB’s New Homes Quality Code provides a framework which is designed to deliver consistently high standards of new home quality and service, improve developer behaviour, and provide a resolution for buyers if these standards are not met. The NHQB is also responsible for overseeing the independent New Homes Ombudsman Service (NHOS) which adjudicates against the Code.

    Together, the Code and Ombudsman aim to deliver customer confidence in the quality of new homes by holding builders accountable for quality and service while offering consumers a way to seek redress if things go wrong.

    Through such experience, infrastructure, and proven governance processes we will ensure the Shared Ownership Code is implemented effectively.

  • NHQB will officially start as the Code Operator from 7 October and from that point will take full responsibility for the Shared Ownership Code, its operations, and its ongoing governance and financial sustainability. The intellectual property that has been developed as part of the Code project will be transferred for nil consideration to NHQB – this includes resources such as the Service Charge Information Document (SCID).

  • The Shared Ownership Council selected NHQB as the Code Operator in recognition of the strong alignment in values and aims, and confidence in NHQB’s ability to ensure the Code delivers on its purpose of standardising best practice and consumer protection for shared ownership.

    NHQB brings established credibility across the housing sector, including with providers, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the Housing Ombudsman Service, helping build wider support for the Code. The Council believes NHQB’s experience, infrastructure, and proven governance processes will ensure the Code is implemented effectively and remains relevant through regular reviews informed by both industry and shared owners.

    Both organisations share a commitment to improving experiences and service delivery for residents, with the understanding that shared ownership has an important role to play in the housing sector. They also share the goal of establishing long-term governance and operating arrangements for the Shared Ownership Code, resulting in better outcomes for both current and future shared owners.

  • The Shared Ownership Council was established as a time-limited initiative (not a legal entity), to drive an independent focus on improvements to the shared owner experience and unlock a stronger and fairer shared ownership market. Its core aim was to develop the Shared Ownership Code, designed to standardise best practice and consumer protection for shared ownership, and ensure the Code has a sustainable long-term home.

    The Council does not manage or operate the Shared Ownership Code – NHQB has been selected by the Council to be the Code Operator and carry out this role. From 7 October NHQB has full responsibility for the Code, its operations, and its ongoing governance and financial sustainability.

  • The Shared Ownership Council and NHQB have been working closely in partnership together over the four month period since the Council shortlisted NHQB as the Code Operator (prior to public announcement). Throughout this period, both organisations have worked openly and collaboratively to ensure a seamless transition when NHQB officially becomes the Code Operator on 7 October.

    To further support the transition, Ann Santry, who has chaired the Shared Ownership Council initiative, will temporarily serve as Chair and sit on the board of NHQB’s new subsidiary organisation, Shared Ownership Code Limited, for a three-month period.

    Bernie Conroy, the industry consultant who co-led the Code’s pilot and has continued to engage with providers interested in adoption, will support  for three months, ensuring operational continuity and a seamless experience for providers who have or intend to register to adopt the Code.

    These measures will provide stability and consistency, ensuring NHQB is fully equipped to take on responsibility for operating the Code.

  • The Shared Ownership Council was established as a time-limited initiative to provide an independent focus on improving the shared owner experience and unlocking a stronger, fairer shared ownership market. It was formed with the core aim of developing a Shared Ownership Code for housing providers.  But where appropriate the Council has gone beyond its initial task and played an important role in advocating more widely for a fairer shared ownership market, to raise awareness of how the Code can help achieve this.

    From the outset, the Council was not intended to operate or manage the Code long-term and always planned to select an independent operator to take this on. The Council is not a legal entity and has been supported by volunteers and funded through grants from 34 organisations, focused on developing a Code that improves consumer experiences while being practical for industry to adopt. With the Code now launched to the industry and applications to adopt opening soon under NHQB’s stewardship, the Council has achieved its original goal and will formally conclude on 16 October. The Council is confident that NHQB’s values, infrastructure and experience make them a strong and capable operator of the Shared Ownership Code.