Plan It. Own It. The Pre-Staircasing Playbook.

Staircasing is the process of gradually increasing your share of a shared ownership property until you own it outright. It’s a great way to take full control of your home and build equity over time. Here’s how it works:

Start with Shared Ownership

When you first purchase a shared ownership property, you buy a percentage of the home (usually between 10% and 75%) and pay rent on the remaining share, which is owned by the housing association (such as Town and Country Housing) or developer. This makes homeownership more affordable at the outset.

Decide When to Staircase

At any point during your shared ownership agreement, you can choose to buy more shares in the property. This is called “staircasing.” You can staircase in stages, buying smaller portions over time, or you can opt to buy larger shares all at once. Your lease will stipulate any specific restrictions or requirements.

Get Your Home Valued

When you decide to staircase, the first step is to have the property valued by a professional surveyor. This is because the price of the shares you want to buy will be based on the current market value of the property. The valuation will determine how much the additional shares will cost.

Calculate How Much You Want to Buy

Once you have the valuation, you can calculate how much you want to staircase. You can buy as little as 1% of the property or as much as you like, up to 100% (subject to qualifying leases). The more of your home you own, the less rent you’ll pay to the housing association. If you staircase to 100%, you’ll no longer have to pay any rent at all.

Secure Funding for the Additional Shares

Just like when you first bought the property, you may need to secure additional funding to buy the extra shares. This could be through savings, or a new mortgage, depending on your financial situation. It’s a good idea to speak with a mortgage advisor to understand your options.

Contacting us

When you have everything collated, please contact us via the staircasing application form. Here, we will take copies of your documents for processing, conduct AML checks where necessary, issue a  Memorandum of Sale and instruct our solicitors.

Finalise the Purchase

Once you’ve secured the funding and agreed on the price of the additional shares, you’ll go through the legal process to complete the purchase. This involves signing a memorandum of staircasing and paying the agreed amount for the new shares. The housing association will update its records to reflect your new ownership percentage.

Enjoy Full Ownership

If you staircase to 100% ownership, you’ll no longer have to pay rent to the housing association (although you’ll still need to pay service charges and ground rent, if applicable). From that point on, you’ll have more control over your property.

Why Staircasing Is a Great Option

Whether you’re new to shared ownership or have lived in your home for a while, staircasing is a fantastic opportunity to move closer to full homeownership — at your own pace. Here’s why it’s such a smart move:

Gradual Ownership: One Step at a Time

Buying a home outright can feel like a huge financial leap — but with staircasing, you don’t have to do it all at once. You can increase your share of the property when it suits you, giving you control over your journey. Want to staircase in small, manageable chunks? Go for it. Ready to staircase all the way to 100% in one go? That’s an option too. It’s flexible, tailored to your finances, and designed to grow with you. Your lease will be the first port of call to determine how you can staircase.

Build Equity: Invest in Your Future

Every share you buy adds to the value you own in your home. That’s called equity — and it’s one of the most powerful financial assets you can build. As the property market rises (and historically, it has), your share could be worth even more than what you paid for it. When you sell, you’ll benefit from that growth — meaning more money in your pocket and more return on your investment.

More Freedom: Make It Truly Yours

The more of your home you own, the more say you have in how you live in it. Staircasing gives you increasing freedom to personalise, renovate and make long-term decisions with confidence. Want to remodel the kitchen, convert the loft, or upgrade your interiors? Subject to planning permissions or other restrictions stipulated in your lease or the location, you’ll have more freedom to make alterations to your home.

Say Goodbye to Rent

One of the biggest perks of staircasing is the chance to stop paying rent altogether. Once you own 100% of your home, you no longer pay rent to your housing association. That’s a significant saving each month — money you can put toward holidays, savings, home improvements or just more breathing room in your budget. You would still need to pay any service charges and ground rent (if applicable). With rent prices rising across the UK, eliminating this cost can offer real financial relief and stability in the long term.

Ready to Staircase?

If you’re considering staircasing, it’s important to understand the financial and legal aspects of the process. Speak to a financial advisor and read our staircasing guide on how to proceed. Staircasing is a fantastic opportunity to make your shared ownership property truly your own, so take the next step when you’re ready!