Frequently Asked Questions

Shared Ownership Code (‘the Code’)

  • 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.

  • 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. Providers can now register their interest in adopting it.

  • The Shared Ownership Code has been carefully designed leveraging the experiences and feedback of current and prospective shared owners. The standards in the Code were created with consumers’ interests at heart to ensure improved support for shared owners in marketing, purchasing, and management of homes. Some benefits could include:

    • Improved upfront transparency: Clear, accessible information on all fees and charges, including a published list of all potential fees and detailed service charge information at reservation stage. This includes explanations of block ownership, service arrangements, planned changes, and illustrative examples of possible future increases.

    • Improved transparency on service charges throughout: Initial charges cannot be artificially low, helping to ensure the shared owner sees a realistic charge for services from the outset. Any material annual increase in total service charges must be explained in writing.

    • Enhanced rights: A 14-day cooling-off period when buying, a 12-month defects period from move-in, and the right to a pre-completion survey.

    • Better ongoing support: Easier access to lease extensions and staircasing, with providers required to offer one of three standardised approaches to informal lease extensions and to proactively advise customers when short leases may affect them.

    • Consistency across providers: Knowing that any Code adopter meets the same minimum standards in marketing, sale, and ongoing management.

  • There are seven overarching principles of the Shared Ownership Code, which housing providers agree to follow when they adopt the Code. These include:

    1. Ensure shared owners and prospective shared owners have clear information on what shared ownership is, their responsibilities as shared owners, and the responsibilities of providers to them.

    2. Make it clear what the different categories of costs are for shared owners, how they may change over time, and have clear, accessible procedures to support shared owners navigating them.

    3. Ensure that shared owners buying new homes enjoy similar standards over sales, transparency and completion as with other new homeowners.

    4. Have clear and accessible policies on staircasing and selling, and signpost shared owners to comprehensive information and guidance to help them understand and navigate the staircasing and selling processes.

    5. Offer options to support households to better manage unplanned costs and where suitable steer them towards external guidance.

    6. Have clear policies on how to address customer service requests and complaints and will seek to resolve them promptly.

    7. Ensure that people with a disability, who also rely on benefits for their income, are given an equal opportunity to buy a shared ownership home

  • If you have any feedback on the Shared Ownership Code, please feel free to reach out via our Contact page.

Adopting the Shared Ownership Code (‘the Code’)

  • Organisations can now register interest in adopting the Shared Ownership Code by completing a form on our Contact page. Once we receive your form, we’ll get in touch with you to outline the process and what you need to do.

    For the avoidance of doubt, if you register interest in adopting this Code, it is not a binding commitment to become a paid-up Code adopter, nor to complete the process to adopt the Code in full.

  • The Shared Ownership Code is available to registered housing providers who are involved in delivering or managing shared ownership properties. It is available for providers to register interest in adopting on a voluntary basis and is not mandatory.

  • We have developed a range of resources to support adoption of the Shared Ownership Code – these include:

    • A guide to service charges under the Shared Ownership Code - this document is aimed at staff responsible for service charges within shared ownership housing providers and observers who want to understand these new requirements and supporting materials.  

    • Service Charge Information Document (SCID) for Shared Ownership - the service charge information document (SCID) template was developed in collaboration with housing providers and specialist service charge experts. The Shared Ownership Code introduces a requirement that providers must complete and present a SCID at point of sale. The SCID is intended to help prospective shared owners understand more about how services are provided, how they are charged for them, and about the potential for these charges to rise. An editable version of this document will be available to organisations that register to adopt the Code, alongside an alignment checklist.

    • Shared Ownership Learning Directory - this directory is to make it easy for staff at housing providers to understand what learning and development opportunities are available to help equip their teams to serve shared owners well.

    • Code alignment checklist – this checklist enables you to assess your practice in relation to the Code’s requirements. This document will be available to organisations that register interest in adopting the Code.

    • Template to make the case for adoption - this template can be used by housing providers when making the case for Code adoption, for example when seeking executive or board approval to proceed. It provides a possible structure, background and context on the Code and its credibility, the purpose and benefits of adoption and more.  

    • Possible approach to reviewing and aligning practice: We have set out on a couple of pages a possible approach, based on our experience of working with you and other housing providers during the pilot of the Code. We expect it will be most useful for those who haven’t yet made a start on this.

  • Basic training on the Code for the staff of Code adopters is currently in development. We expect this will initially be a recorded PowerPoint presentation on the Code, and will be developed further by the future Code operator over time. It will be made available in Autumn.

    In addition to this basic training on the Code, we have developed the Shared Ownership Learning Directory – a document which outlines what learning and development opportunities are available to help organisations equip their teams to serve shared owners well.

    We encourage organisations to use this directory as a starting point to identify suitable learning and development opportunities for individuals and pathways for team development. It does not cover all training offers available but focuses on the main shared ownership networking and training offers. 

    For any specific questions on this matter, please feel free to reach out to us via our Contact page.

  • We will send you an email to offer an introductory call with a representative from the Shared Ownership Council. Following this, we will send you the Code alignment checklist and a short outline of a potential approach to aligning practices with the Code’s criteria. This will enable you to assess - at both an operational and policy level - what adopting the Code will mean for your organisation.

  • Adopting the Code should support high-quality service delivery with resulting benefit in mitigating operational and reputational risks. Expected benefits include:  

    • Clear operational guidance: Practical resources, templates, and training for staff delivering shared ownership services. 

    • Market differentiation and demonstrated focus on consumer standards: The ability to display the Code’s adopter badge or kitemark to demonstrate commitment to fair and transparent practice. 

    • Expectation of reduced complaints and disputes: By setting clear expectations and improving information provided to consumers. 

    • Alignment with ESG and ethical practice commitments: Strengthening investor, regulator, and public confidence. 

    As well as benefits to the organisation, widespread adoption of the Code is expected to benefit shared ownership as a tenure through:  

    • Raising overall standards: Ensuring all adopters meet a consistent set of fair, transparent, and ethical practices. 

    • Improving trust and confidence: Making shared ownership a clearer and more attractive option for potential buyers. 

    • Supporting sector sustainability: Reducing consumer dissatisfaction and disputes, and reinforcing shared ownership as a credible long-term housing solution. 

  • If you need any support with implementing the Shared Ownership Code, please feel free to reach out via our Contact page, and one of our representatives will be in touch to help.

  • There are case studies outlining the experiences of five organisations that piloted the Shared Ownership Code in spring 2025. These can be found here on our website.

Accreditation of the Shared Ownership Code (‘the Code’)

  • The details of the accreditation process will be finalised with the prospective Code Operator once they are appointed, but steps are expected to include:

    • Submit initial application

    • Pay annual membership fee

    • Access additional resources and support (such as training on the Code for your staff)

    • Review and align your practice and complete training

    • Provide evidence of compliance with the Code (guidance will be offered on this)

    • Confirm activation date

    • Attest compliance and begin using the adopter badge

Shared Ownership Council

  • The Shared Ownership Council is 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.

    We are a time-limited initiative, not a legal entity. We are currently led by our Board, chaired by Ann Santry CBE, and facilitated by Social Finance – a not-for-profit enterprise that provides the capacity and capability to run the Council. We have been funded by grant funding from 34 organisations and are responsible for and remain committed to delivering consumer-focused aims enshrined in our grant agreements.

  • All activity at the Shared Ownership Council is underpinned by our 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, we developed and launched the Shared Ownership Code for housing providers, which is designed to standardise best practices and consumer protection for shared ownership, ensuring it has a sustainable consumer-focused future.

    Senior Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE)

    • We convene our Senior Advisory Group of Experts quarterly, comprising representatives from each of our 34 funder organisations. These groups are designed to communicate progress, understand perspectives and explore new areas of focus and improvement.

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

    Data

    • Improving data and information on shared ownership’s impact is necessary. We 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, we believe there is room for thoughtful, targeted reform that helps shared ownership make sense to consumers. We 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

    • We continue to proactively engage 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.

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

  • The Shared Ownership Council currently has 34 funders – all the progress we have achieved to date has been made possible because of their commitment and ongoing support.

    We’re deeply grateful to the following organisations that have 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 are always eager to form new partnerships that will support our work and help us unlock a stronger and fairer shared ownership market. If you or your organisation is interested in potentially becoming a funder, we’d love to hear from you.

    Please complete a form on the Contact Us page, and one of our representatives will be in touch.

  • We believe that shared ownership has an important role to play in addressing housing needs and enabling more people to access home ownership. Recent years have seen both house prices and social housing waiting lists skyrocket – if this tells us anything, it’s that we need to explore all solutions to address the affordable housing crisis.

    Separate from the demand for social rented homes, there is a need for a more affordable home ownership product that helps those who cannot buy outright and who will never be eligible for social rent. Shared ownership offers this – it can help 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 is a tenure with strong foundations and potential for growth - and one that should be seen as capable of offering stability, security and an affordable route into home ownership in uncertain times.

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

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

    Though with the likes of service charges, this isn’t just an issue which affects many shared owners, particularly those living in flats; it’s a broader leasehold challenge, especially in mixed-tenure blocks managed by third parties. But it can affect shared owners more acutely, particularly those new to leasehold. We also have evidence from our research which shows that shared ownership satisfaction rates are much higher for those living in houses, compared to those in flats. Secondary to this, our research also shows another contributing factor is that shared ownership works better / has higher satisfaction rates outside London.

    As a whole, we recognise the need for a stronger and fairer shared ownership market and feel that our Shared Ownership Code will help address these challenges which many shared owners face. Beyond the Code, there is more that could be done to reform shared ownership.