As well as rented homes, we also offer some homes for sale through shared ownership. Shared ownership is an affordable way to get on the property ladder as you initially buy a percentage of your home and pay rent on the rest, meaning you need a smaller deposit and mortgage. You can choose to buy more of your home over time.

From supporting customers through their shared ownership journey to keeping home sales processes moving behind the scenes, Amy Burdon our Sales and Leasehold Coordinator, shares what a typical day looks like.

“My day usually starts with the school run and a coffee. Once I’ve settled into work, I’m straight into the sales inbox, helping customers who are interested in buying a shared ownership home.

“I joined Leeds Federated in December 2025 on a two-year fixed contract. I’ve worked in social housing since 2022, and this felt like a great chance to move from the social tenancy side of the industry into homeownership.

A busy diary

“No two days are the same in the Sales and Leasehold team. I’m involved in working through new enquiries, replying to solicitors and checking updates from builders. I also respond to customers who’ve moved into their new home and have further questions or issues to report.

“Until we sell a home, we’re responsible for paying the utilities at that address – this includes things like water and electricity supplies. On Tuesdays and Fridays, I work through the invoices to make sure they match the services we’ve received. Sometimes that means making phone calls to suppliers, such as Yorkshire Water, to amend final bills or close accounts.

“With the electricity and gas readings, I upload these onto the Green Energy Switch (GES) portal so we can keep track of usage while the homes are empty.

“Once a home sale is complete, I update the portal with the final meter reading to close our account. I also meet monthly with our account manager at Green Energy Switch (GES) to check our stats and make sure everything has been entered accurately.

“I also get the opportunity to visit new housing developments as they’re being built and again when we hand the keys over to customers. I help the Sales team take photographs and videos of individual homes ready for marketing.

“I spend a big part of my day preparing draft adverts for our homes before they’re published on the website. This includes listing key home features, uploading photographs, providing shared ownership information, and preparing a rent breakdown for each home.”

Shared ownership process

“We work with Metro Finance who complete eligibility checks for people who are interested in buying shared ownership homes. The applicants go through a two-stage assessment process which involves checking:

• Household circumstances
• Credit file
• Budget commitments
• Income
• Right to rent

You can find out more about the process here.

“If an applicant passes the first checks, they’re invited to provide supporting documents such as bank statements, ID, wage slips, proof of benefits and proof of deposit. Once everything is complete, Metro Finance signs off on the application, confirming that the applicant is ready to reserve a home, and we can begin the sales process.

“Throughout the process, I offer and book customer appointments to view show homes or individual plots with our Sales and Leasehold Officer. This can include measure-up appointments, further viewings, and any other ad hoc appointments customer’s request.”

“I also arrange mortgage valuations, prepare legal documents for our team to check, and instruct solicitors to act on our behalf for first tranche sales. Tranche sales are a portion or phase of a home sale, often used in shared ownership schemes.

“When we agree a completion date for the sale to be finalised, I send the solicitors the apportionments, which show how much the buyer needs to pay Leeds Federated as part of the sales completion statement.

“I approve mortgage offers and completion statements for our solicitors, checking that the information is correct and in line with the Council of Mortgage Lenders (Disclosure of Incentives Form) CML and Memorandum of Sale, including the share price, warranty information and home details.

“Completion day is a busy one! I look after all the admin for it, from requesting rents to be added to our customer information systems, to uploading required documents and updating our reporting spreadsheets.”

Juggling last-minute challenges

“Some challenges can pop up at the last minute, especially solicitor enquiries that need everyone to pull together quickly. It could be something like a leak in a home or a last-minute boundary query. Luckily, these are few and far between, but they’re definitely a great team-building experience.

“I speak with solicitors at Ward Hadaway and Ison Harrison a few times a week as they’re vital to the work we’re doing at our Colliers Park and Blue Birch Fields developments.They support us with updates on the sales progression, arrange completion dates & check apportionments to ensure that the customers are paying rent in advance and the completion figures are correct. Having a good working relationship with them is key to ensuring a smooth sales process.

“I also work with The Shared Ownership Exchange, a collaborative network of housing associations, mortgage brokers and shared ownership experts who help us work through legislative changes and wider issues affecting the sector. This helps us to stay up to date with our skills and knowledge.”

A positive impact

“The most rewarding part of my role is knowing we’ve made a real difference to someone’s life. Whether it’s supporting a colleague with a small task or delivering a larger project on time, it gives me a real sense of achievement.

“With shared ownership, we’re helping people become homeowners when they might not otherwise have the opportunity. It’s about helping customers create a safe space and turn a house into a home.

“Being able to offer customers a safe home is worth its weight in gold. From the first enquiry through to handing the keys over on completion day, it’s a really special feeling. We get to know our customers; they share snippets of their lives through conversation – just like Patrcia who moved into her shared ownership home back in 2024.”

Current developments available

We currently have shared ownership homes available in Bradford, Leeds, and Harrogate, with more homes coming soon in Kirklees. Take a look and see what’s available.

You can also explore our upcoming developments to find out where we’re building new homes.

Find out more about shared ownership

If you’re interested in finding out more, you can download our shared ownership guide: