Selling your shared ownership property
Each housing provider has their own rules and process around selling a shared ownership property.
This guide explains the steps you’re likely to go through when you sell a shared ownership property. But make sure you find out the sales process for your housing provider and property, because it may be slightly different.
Rules and restrictions
If you own 100% of your property
If you have staircased to 100% ownership, you can sell your property on the open market (through an estate agent).
If your home is in a protected area, your housing provider (housing association) will either buy back your property or find someone to buy it.
If you own less than 100% of your property
You may need to offer your property to the housing provider first. This is known as the right of first refusal.
If the housing provider chooses not to buy it, they will nominate a buyer from their waiting list. This is called the nomination period and will be stated in your lease. The nomination period could be 4, 8 or 12 weeks, depending on the lease you have.
If the housing provider does not find a buyer within the nomination period, you can sell the property on the open market.
Cladding
Cladding is panelling fitted to the outside of buildings. Some types of cladding can be a fire risk.
If your property is 11 metres or taller and has unsafe cladding, the buyer’s lender may request an EWS1 (External Wall System) form. You can request this form from your housing provider.
If you own a shared ownership house
Even if you own 100% of a shared ownership house, you’re likely to still have to pay service charges. Make sure your buyer is aware of the service charges and any other ongoing costs they’ll need to pay.
Costs of selling
There are costs involved in selling a shared ownership property. This table gives you an idea of the costs you might need to pay. Costs can differ between housing providers and properties.
| Cost | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Marketing (admin) fee | You pay this to your housing provider. It’s usually deducted from money from the sale, but check with your housing provider. |
| Estate agent fees (if you sell your property on the open market) | If you sell on the open market, you will need to pay estate agent fees to market your property. |
| Legal fees (for you and your housing provider) | These cover your conveyancer (solicitor) costs and the housing provider’s legal costs. |
| Management admin fee (administration charge) | If the property is managed by an external management company, they may charge an admin fee to provide you with documents for the sale. |
| Property valuation |
This is to work out the current market value of your property. The valuation must be done by a surveyor registered with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Once you’ve had the valuation it’s valid for 3 months. After that you may need to pay an extension fee if the property has not sold yet. |
| Lease extension (if your lease has 85 years or less) | Extending a lease can cost thousands of pounds. See our content on extending your shared ownership lease for details. |
| Marriage value (if your lease has 80 years or less) | If your lease is 80 years or less and you decide to extend it, you’ll need to pay an additional cost, called marriage value. The government plans to end marriage value, but has not confirmed when this will happen. |
| Management pack (leasehold information pack) | Your housing provider may charge a fee for your management pack (leasehold information pack). |
| Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) | When you sell a home, you need to provide an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). It contains information about the property’s energy usage and recommendations of how to reduce energy costs. For properties under 10 years old, you can usually find this information online. For older properties, you’ll need to have someone come and inspect your property. |
| An assignment fee | You may have to pay an assignment fee – this is 1% of the total value of your property (plus VAT), minus the marketing fee you paid. You pay it when your housing provider finds a buyer. |
| Other costs | There could be other fees you need to pay. Your conveyancer (solicitor) will be able to advise you on this. |
- Last updated:
- 15 June 2026
- Next review:
- 15 June 2028
Related content
A step-by-step guide to the process of selling your shared ownership property
Advice guide