Shared ownership is a way for eligible people to purchase a property who would not otherwise be able to afford to do so.  You purchase the share for sale, usually with a mortgage and pay rent and a service charge on the remaining share.

As you are only purchasing a share of the property, you will need a smaller deposit and mortgage than if you were to buy on the open market.

You will have all of the rights and responsibilities of a full home owner.

Our properties are advertised on the Share to Buy website as well as the CHS Group website.  There are both newly built and resale homes advertised.

If outright purchase is not an option for you, this scheme offers an alternative to renting. Typically, Shared Ownership properties are purchased by first time buyers but if you have owned a property before, you may still be eligible as long as your household income will be below £80,000 and you do not own another property at the time of purchasing the shared ownership property. To find out more contact our Customer Service Team or visit https://www.gov.uk/shared-ownership-scheme.

We will complete an affordability assessment through our panel mortgage broker where you will be required to provide evidence of your income and outgoings, ID and other relevant documents.  Once this assessment is complete and we have confirmed that you are eligible for shared ownership, you will be able to reserve the property.  You will need to instruct a solicitor to act on your behalf throughout the sale.

You can read more about the process of buying in our Guide to Shared Ownership

New build shared ownership properties can be bought within a range of shares depending on your affordability.  Shared ownership resale properties can only be purchased at the share owned by the current shared owner or sometimes a higher share.  CHS will retain the remaining share and you will be required to pay rent on that share.  Shared ownership properties are all leasehold.  The lease sets out your and CHS Group’s responsibilities for the property.

A process called “staircasing” allows you to purchase a greater percentage share in the future if you wish. Your lease will detail if there are any restrictions but some properties may have a restricted maximum share that can be owned. Service charges may still apply even when you own 100% of your property.

Reservation fees usually apply only to new build properties and will be deducted from the purchase price on completion. Other costs involved may consist of:

• Mortgage costs
• Stamp duty (if applicable)
• Furnishings and removals
• Rent payment and service charges to CHS
• Council tax
• Utilities
• Contents insurance
• Your legal fees

Depending on your lease, you are responsible for all repairs and maintenance to your home, other than the structure of the building which will be insured under CHS Group’s building insurance policy.  New leases (signed after January 2026) provide a contribution to some repairs and maintenance within your home, you can check with CHS Group if a repair within your home is eligible for a financial contribution.  If you live in a flat, CHS Group are responsible for the internal communal areas (halls, stairs) and any repairs to these areas should be reported to repairs@chsgroup.org.uk.

Your Shared Ownership home must be your principal home and you cannot sublet it. You will need permission to keep pets which is usually prohibited in flats. All other restrictions are detailed in your lease.

We have produced a document that is available to download here Guide to selling