You can buy more shares in your home after you become the owner. Buying more shares is known as 'staircasing'.
When you buy more shares, you'll pay less rent. This is because your rent is based on the landlord's share.
What will it cost?
You'll need to pay for a valuation by a registered surveyor with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) because the cost of your new share will depend on how much your home is worth when you want to buy the share. Your staircasing transaction must complete within three months of the valuation date, or the home will need to be revalued.
You’ll need to pay your legal fees if you need legal advice when you buy a share. If you borrow money to pay for additional shares, you’ll also need to speak to a legal adviser.
How much can I increase my shares by?
Most Shared Ownership leases allow you to staircase up to 100%. However, some leases are capped at 70%, 75% or 80%. This rule is known as restricted staircasing.
The cap, put in place by local government, ensures there are Shared Ownership homes locally for future generations. We'll let you know if restricted staircasing applies to your home in the property listing.
Homemade Homes by Accent, Accent's experienced property sales team, can help you with the process of staircasing. So, whether you are just enquiring or you're ready to buy more shares of your current home, you'll find all the information you need here.
