Buying more shares in your shared ownership home

If you’re interested in buying more shares in your home and reducing your rent, we’re here to help.

You can find everything you need to know on this page, including how much staircasing costs, how much you can increase your shares by, and where you can get more information. 

What is ‘staircasing’?

Homeowners who’ve bought a shared ownership home from Accent own part of where they live, and pay rent on the remainder. How much rent they pay depends on how much of their home Accent still owns. 

That means if you purchase more shares in your home, known as a ‘staircasing purchase’, we will own less of your home – so you won’t need to pay as much rent!

How much does it cost to buy more shares in my home?

How much your home’s shares cost is affected by several factors. To work it out, you’ll need to pay for a valuation from a registered surveyor with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS.) 

This makes sure that the cost of the share reflects your home’s worth at the time of the share increase.

Just so you know, your staircasing purchase needs to happen within three months of your valuation, or it will go out of date. After this time, you’ll need to pay for a new one.

You might also need to seek legal advice when purchasing a share, which you’ll also have to cover the cost of. 

How much can I increase my shares by?

The good news is that most ownership leases allow you to staircase up to 100%.

However, some leases are capped at 80%, 75% or 70%. This is known as ‘restricted staircasing’.

Restricted staircasing is a rule put in place by your local government. We understand this might not be ideal for you, but it’s a protective measure to make sure there are enough shared ownership homes in your area for future generations. 

If you need more information, you can check your lease to see if your home is affected by restricted staircasing.

Where can I find out more about staircasing?

Don’t forget, our property sales team Homemade Homes by Accent  can help you with buying more shares. They’re our experienced property sales team who can give you all the information you need, whether you have a few questions, or you’re ready to buy more shares.