Shared Ownership Conveyancing Solicitors
Home – shared ownership
Conveyancing
what is shared ownership
Shared ownership is a way to buy a share of a property — usually between 25% and 75% — and pay rent on the remaining portion to a housing association or developer. It’s designed to make home ownership more affordable for people who might not be able to buy outright.
You’ll typically be eligible if you:
- Are a first‑time buyer or don’t currently own a home.
- Have a household income below the set threshold (often £80,000 outside London, £90,000 in London).
- Are applying through a local authority scheme or as a key worker such as a teacher, nurse, or emergency service worker.
Most shared ownership properties are leasehold, meaning you’ll own your share for a set number of years and have specific obligations in your lease. Purchases are usually made directly from housing associations or developers building new‑build shared ownership homes.
TBI Conveyancing understand the extra layers of checks and approvals involved in these transactions — ensuring your purchase is compliant, affordable, and as smooth as possible.
Buying a shared ownership home means part‑buying, part‑renting — and the legal process is more detailed than a standard purchase. At Tilly Bailey & Irvine, we’ve helped countless first‑time buyers and housing association purchasers secure their homes with confidence. We’ll handle every legal step, explain everything in plain English, and keep your move on track from start to finish.
How Shared Ownership Conveyancing Differs from a Standard Purchase
Buying a shared ownership property isn’t like a typical freehold or leasehold purchase. There are extra parties involved, additional checks to carry out, and more legal documents to review. Here’s how the process is different — and why having Tilly Bailey & Irvine on your side makes all the difference.
Involvement of a Housing Association or Landlord
Unlike a standard sale between a buyer and seller, shared ownership purchases involve the housing association (or landlord) as a third party. They must approve you as a buyer before the transaction can progress. This means:
- We liaise directly with the housing association on your behalf.
- We ensure their approval requirements are met quickly.
- We handle the legal paperwork they require alongside your purchase contract.
Leasehold Complexity
Most shared ownership homes are leasehold, which adds another layer of legal review. We:
- Check the lease length, ground rent clauses, and service charge terms.
- Ensure there are no restrictive covenants that could limit how you use your home.
- Explain your ongoing responsibilities clearly so there are no surprises later.
Staircasing Provisions
Your lease will include terms allowing you to buy more shares in your home over time — known as staircasing. We:
- Review the staircasing clauses to confirm the process and costs.
- Explain how these terms work if you want to increase your share in future.
- Make sure you understand any restrictions or notice periods.
Rent & Service Charges
- Confirm exactly how much these payments are and when they’re due.
- Check whether charges can increase and by how much.
- Ensure your budget planning is accurate before you commit.
With TBI, you’re never left guessing about the fine print — we make the unique aspects of shared ownership clear from day one so you can buy with confidence.
Tilly, Bailey & Irvine
the shared ownership
conveyancing process
Shared ownership purchases follow a more detailed process than standard home buying. At Tilly Bailey & Irvine, we make each stage clear, keep things moving, and handle the extra requirements so your purchase stays on track.
1. Instruction & Housing Association Approval
Once you choose TBI, we start with:
- ID checks and proof of address verification.
- Confirming your proof of income meets scheme requirements.
- Guiding you through the housing association approval process so it's completed quickly and without delays.
We liaise directly with the housing association to ensure they have all the paperwork and evidence they need from you.
2. Reviewing Lease and Contract Pack
We receive and review the contract pack from the seller's solicitor. This includes your lease, which sets out your rights, obligations, and any restrictions. We:
- Check for restrictive covenants that might limit how you can use the property.
- Confirm the lease terms are fair and comply with housing association requirements.
- Clearly explain in plain English what the terms mean for you now and in the future.
3. Mortgage & Lender Requirements
Not all lenders offer shared ownership mortgages. We work closely with your chosen lender to:
- Make sure the mortgage conditions fit your lease terms.
- Provide the lender with any documents they request.
- Ensure the mortgage offer is in place before contracts are exchanged.
4. Property Searches and Enquiries
We carry out local authority, drainage, and environmental searches to:
- Identify any planning issues or development plans nearby.
- Check for potential risks such as flooding or environmental concerns.
- Raise enquiries with the seller's solicitor about anything unusual or unclear.
5. Exchange of Contracts
Exchange is when your purchase becomes a binding legal commitment. At this point:
- You pay your deposit.
- A completion date is agreed.
- The exchange may still be subject to final housing association approval, which we coordinate.
6. Completion
On completion day:
- We transfer the remaining purchase funds.
- You receive the keys to your new home.
- We arrange the tenancy agreement for the rented portion of the property.
7. Post Completion
After completion, we:
- Register your ownership with the Land Registry.
- Notify the housing association and your lender of the completed transaction.
- Send you copies of your final legal documents for safekeeping.
With TBI guiding each stage, you'll always know exactly what's happening and what comes next, so you can move into your new home with confidence.
How Long Does Shared Ownership Conveyancing Take?
Most shared ownership purchases take around 8–12 weeks from instruction to completion. If your purchase is part of a property chain or requires a mortgage, it can sometimes be quicker — but extra steps such as housing association approval can extend the process.
Why It Can Take Longer
Shared ownership has extra moving parts compared to a standard purchase. Common causes of delay include:
- Waiting for housing association approval of your application.
- Mortgage processing times — not all lenders are familiar with shared ownership.
- Slow responses to enquiries from the seller or housing association.
How TBI Helps Keep Things Moving
At TBI Conveyancing we take a proactive approach to avoid unnecessary delays. We:
- Liaise directly with housing associations to speed up approvals.
- Coordinate early with your lender to ensure mortgage conditions are met.
- Keep you updated regularly so you always know the status of your purchase.
Certified Expertise,
Trusted Service
why choose tbi conveyancing
When you’re buying through shared ownership, you need a solicitor who understands both the complex leasehold elements and the extra housing association requirements. At TBI Conveyancing, we combine our fixed‑fee transparency with specialist expertise to make your purchase as smooth as possible.
What's Included in your Fixed Fee?
Our shared ownership conveyancing service covers: Detailed review of your lease to check rights, obligations, and staircasing provisions. Housing association liaison — from approval checks to ensuring their conditions are met. Standard property searches to identify any legal or environmental issues.
Clear explanations in plain English at every step, so you fully understand your purchase.
Disbursements & Other Costs
Some costs are separate from our legal fee. These include:
Land Registry fees to register your ownership.
Housing association notice fees for notifying them of the purchase.
We’ll confirm all costs upfront so there are no surprises later.
Our No Hidden Costs Promise
We’ll provide a full written quote at the start. What we quote is what you pay — no unexpected extras, no hidden admin fees.
Get Your Free
Shared Ownership Conveyancing Quote
Buying a shared ownership home is exciting, but the legal process can be tricky — especially with housing association rules and leasehold terms to navigate. Our specialist solicitors make it simple, guiding you from approval to keys in hand.
Get your fixed fee quote today and start your purchase with confidence. Call our friendly team now or complete our quick online form — we’ll be in touch within one working day to get things moving.
Why Choose Us for Your
Shared Ownership Purchase
Shared Ownership Specialists
Decades of experience with housing association sales and leasehold law.
Personal Service
You’ll work with one of our expert solicitors from start to finish.
Fixed Fees
Makes budgeting for your move simple and stress‑free.
Nationwide Service
Based in the North East, serving clients right across England & Wales.
FAQs
Expert Answers to Your shared ownership Queries
Yes — you need a solicitor experienced in shared ownership conveyancing because these purchases are more complex than standard ones.
Most shared ownership homes are leasehold, involving housing association approval, lease review, and checks on staircasing provisions.
Without proper legal review, you risk agreeing to restrictive terms that could affect future sales, rent costs, or your ability to buy more shares.
Staircasing is the process of buying additional shares in your shared ownership home.
It works like this:
- Request a valuation from the housing association.
- Decide how many extra shares you want to buy.
- Use a solicitor to complete the legal work.
- Update the Land Registry to reflect your new ownership share.
You can often staircase to 100% ownership, reducing or removing rent payments.
Yes — but in most cases, you must give the housing association the first opportunity to find a buyer. This is known as the nomination period, usually 4–8 weeks.
If they cannot find a buyer in that time, you can sell the property on the open market. Your solicitor ensures you meet all resale conditions and that your sale complies with the lease terms.
The deposit for a shared ownership property is based on the share you are buying, not the full property value. For example:
- If you’re buying a 50% share in a £200,000 property (£100,000 share value) and your lender requires 5%, you’d need £5,000.
Deposits typically range between 5%–10% of your share, depending on your mortgage lender’s requirements.
Yes — if you have the full funds for your share, you can buy without a mortgage. This is known as a cash purchase. You’ll still need a solicitor to manage the legal process, carry out property searches, and ensure the lease terms work in your favour. Buying with cash can sometimes speed up completion as you avoid lender approvals.