You’re responsible for repairs and maintenance. A brand-new shared ownership home will come with an initial one-year defects warranty from the developer, which allows us to pick up any snagging issues. Once we’ve completed the snagging, any remaining warranty for the first year will be transferred to you. After this period expires, it will be up to you to maintain your home and organise any repairs with a contractor of your choice.

If you’ve bought a shared ownership resale home, all repairs and maintenance are your responsibility as the initial defects period will have expired. You’ll be buying the home as seen, and most shared ownership resales are advertised through an estate agent.

Most homes will have a ten-year NHBC or LABC warranty. If you buy a shared ownership resale home, there might not be time left on the warranty. It will depend on when the home was built. NHBC / LABC warranties only cover issues affecting the structure and causing physical damage to a home.

Building insurance doesn’t usually cover general maintenance. It will cover certain damage, which would then lead to repairs being made. You’ll need to contact your insurance company directly to discuss the issue; they’ll be able to advise you about what they cover.

Yes. It’s your responsibility to take out contents insurance and make arrangements for this.

Yes, this is known as staircasing.

Yes, this is known as a resale.

Yes. The rent and other charges are reviewed and increased annually. We’re unable to advise by how much the rent and other charges will increase. You can find more information about how the rent increase is calculated in your lease. You can also ask your solicitor about rent increases and other charges when you’re buying your home.

Yes. You don’t need to ask permission from us for cosmetic changes like redecorating or laying a new floor. If you want to carry out more significant work e.g. the installation of a new kitchen, please tell us in advance. We may ask you to provide certain documents after you’ve finished the work.

If you want to make structural changes, such as extensions to your home, you must ask us for permission.  We may need to contact the developer. You may also need permission from the developer to add satellite dishes and sheds which are larger than standard size. The type of permission you need will depend on the terms of your lease and what’s agreed with the developer.

If you need permission from us, get in touch.

You’re not allowed to sublet your shared ownership home. In very exceptional circumstances, we may give you permission to sublet your home, but we’d consider this on a case-by-case basis.

Subletting your whole home without our permission is very serious. If you do this, we can take legal action as you’ll be breaking your lease.

While you can’t sublet your home, you may take in a lodger through the Government’s Rent a Room scheme, as long as you follow the rules set by your lender, insurance and relevant legislation.

For more information about subletting or taking in a lodger, get in touch with us.

The person who passed away owned the shared ownership home on their own

In this case, the home won’t automatically pass on to anyone else. It will be transferred to the people named in that person’s Will, or via the rules of intestacy. To start the process, please send us an original or certified copy of the Death Certificate so we can update our records. An Executor or Administrator must be in place to deal with a person’s estate, whether there’s a Will or not. We’d recommend appointing a solicitor who can guide you through the process of transferring the home.

The shared ownership home is jointly owned and one shared owner passes away

The surviving owner will inherit the other’s share. You’ll need to send us a copy of the death certificate so we can update the records. You may also need to contact Land Registry to update the title.

The shared ownership home is owned as “tenants in common”

In this case, the home will be transferred to the people named in the person’s Will, or the rules of intestacy. An Executor or Administrator must be in place in this situation, and we’d recommend appointing a solicitor.

Contact us as soon as possible to let us know if a shared owner has passed away. We would also strongly recommend seeking your own legal advice.

This is a transfer of equity. It’s a legal process that involves you and us instructing solicitors. Please contact us to discuss this.

In most cases, you can extend your shared ownership lease. This is a legal process and would involve both you and us instructing solicitors. Please contact us to discuss this.