Shared ownership

The amount of rent on a shared ownership house can change throughout the time you live in your home. We review how much rent you pay each year in line with any increases in the retail price index (RPI) using the formula in your lease. 

The rent is always reviewed on an ‘upwards only’ basis. This means that the rent won’t go down when it’s reviewed. However, in most cases, rent increases are capped at RPI increase plus 0.5% - you can find out more in your lease agreement. 

Your service charge depends on what services we provide where you live.

At the beginning of each financial year (1^st April), we’ll give you an estimate of the service charge. It’ll show you what your service charge covers, what it’s likely to cost and how much your share will be. We’ll always try and stick to budget but at the end of the year we’ll let you know how much we spent. If we’ve spent less than we estimated, we’ll put your share of the difference into your account. If we’ve spent more, we might need to ask you to cover your share of the costs.

Service charges mean that we can make sure your home is looked after. The charge covers things like:

• Grass cutting and looking after shared grounds
• Cleaning of corridors of shared areas
• Buildings insurance

Some of these services are carried out by us and some are provided by other agencies that we work with.

Your annual service charge is calculated based on what it costs to provide the services to your scheme or block. This includes the contract price to deliver services like cleaning, window cleaning and ground maintenance etc. 

Please let us know if there’s something you’re not happy with so we can fix things. We’re always looking at what we can do better, so it’s important that you let us know.

We’d also love to hear your positive feedback. If you’re happy with one of our services, tell us! This helps us when we’re deciding which suppliers to work with.

If you need an extra copy of your latest service charge statement, then fill out the form at the bottom of the page. Just so you know, we do charge a small admin fee of £35 for extra copies.

If you’re a shared owner your lease doesn’t allow you to sublet your home because your home needs to be your main residence.

We know that things aren’t always that straightforward though, and there are some times when you might not be able to live in your home for a period of time, for example:

• You need to move out temporarily for a caring responsibility.
• Your work means you need to temporarily relocate.
• You’re a serving member of the Armed Forces and you need to serve away from the area for a fixed period of time.

In these cases, we’ll discuss your needs and where we can, agree a temporary subletting consent with you. The maximum length of time this can be for is 12 months.

If your request doesn’t meet one of the exceptions above it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to go ahead. But we can talk to you about other options such as selling your home, taking in a lodger or buying more shares in your home.

We look at each request on a case-by-case basis so we’ll need some information from you to see if you qualify. If you’re granted consent to temporarily sublet, there will be certain conditions attached such as the type of tenancy agreement you can use and a cap on the monthly rent you can charge.

Subletting due to building safety work

If your home is being impacted by building safety work, for example when building construction is being reviewed, or there’s removal of external wall systems or cladding, you might find it difficult to sell, remortgage or buy more shares in your home.

In these circumstances, we can talk to you about your options which might include being able to sublet your home for up to two years.

If you’re concerned about building safety work, the impact on being able to sell your home or being able to afford ongoing payments then please get in touch.

If you'd like to sell your home, the first thing you need to do is arrange for a RICS valuation report from a qualified surveyor of your choice. Not sure where to start? You can use the handy 'find a surveyor' tool on the RICS website. 

Once you've got your RICS valuation report, email our friendly sales experts and they'll be in touch with your next steps. Easy! 

If you're looking to remortgage you might need permission to change your deal as part of your lease. Get in touch with us and we'll be able to check this for you. If you do need permission, there'll be an admin charge you'll need to pay us. 

If you'd like to extend the lease on your home or just discuss this with us, let our friendly team know and we'll be able to give you the details and support you through the process. 

If you'd like to make an addition or alteration to your home - maybe a conservatory or a new front door - you might need consent from us. 

You'll just need to get in touch with our team and fill out the alterations form and we'll be able to help. 

If you want to make alterations to the outside areas of your home, like installing a shed or adding more paving for example, you might need consent from us. Just get in touch and complete an alterations form and we'll be able to help. 

For some documentation or work done by our friendly team, we charge an admin fee as it's an additional service not covered by our management fee. 

Our administration charges document will explain what admin fees are charged for, and how much they are.