Shared owners

At a very basic level, we provide you with a service and you, as the customer, pay us for it. In reality, our arrangement is much more than that. We have a wide-ranging, quite complex, relationship where you expect certain things from us, and we expect things from you in return.

We want our partnership to be open and fair. And if we both keep to the bargain, we should both be satisfied with the deal.

Here are some of your main rights and responsibilities as shared owners

The full list is in your lease and shared ownership agreement

What to expect from us

• You’ll have the right to live in your home as long as the lease lasts
• You’ll also have the right to buy more shares (if you want to and can afford it)
• You can also re-mortgage or sell your home. But there could be some restrictions on this. Check your agreements or get in touch if you want to know more
• We’ll do repairs to structural parts of the building, such as the roof if you live in an apartment
• We’ll look after and regularly clean any shared areas, such as staircases and corridors (unless this service is provided by a management company)
• We’ll look after communal areas outside the buildings, including making sure the area is clean and well lit (unless this service is provided by a management company or the council)
• We’ll let you know of any maintenance work or repairs planned to the shared areas 
• If major work needs to be done that you have to pay for as part of your service charges (as mentioned in your shared ownership agreement) we’ll give you estimates and actual costs

• We’ll keep all of our other commitments in your shared ownership agreement

What we expect from you

• You’ll pay - on time and in full - any rent, insurance, ground rent, service charges and any other costs that are included in your agreement
• Every year, you’ll arrange and pay to have a safety check on your gas boiler (and any other gas appliances you have)
• You’ll arrange for your own repairs to be done. You’re usually responsible for all the repairs inside your home. The full list is explained in your agreement
• You’ll keep communal areas clear of your personal things if you live in an apartment
• You’ll solve any problems with neighbours yourself, or involve other teams, such as the police or the council, if you think laws have been broken
• You’ll tell us if you’re struggling to pay your rent or mortgage – if we know, it’s possible we can help and give you advice
• You’ll tell us if you want to sell your home as you must market it through us before you can sell it privately
• You’ll keep all of your other commitments in your shared ownership agreement