Selling a shared ownership home involves the housing provider as well as the seller and purchaser. The provider normally needs a current valuation to establish the applicable full market value and calculate the price associated with the share under the lease and scheme rules.
The provider’s nomination, marketing and valuation requirements can differ. Ask for its current resale pack before appointing a surveyor. The valuer supplies an independent opinion for the stated resale purpose and date; the provider and solicitors administer the transaction.
The full value and the share
A valuer commonly reports the applicable market value of the whole property interest under prescribed assumptions. The provider then applies the ownership percentage and relevant lease provisions. The surveyor does not set administration fees, rent or legal completion figures.
Any restrictions, lease length, service charges and shared ownership terms should be available so the report does not rely on an avoidable assumption.
Provider nomination and open-market sale
The lease or scheme may give the provider a period to nominate a buyer before wider marketing. If the home later moves to the open market, the legal structure and minimum or maximum acceptable price may still depend on the provider’s rules.
An estate agent can advise on marketing, but an agent appraisal may not satisfy the requirement for an independent RICS valuation.
Condition, improvements and evidence
The valuer inspects and analyses comparable transactions. Approved improvements may need separate treatment under the lease or provider instructions. Repairs and ordinary maintenance are not necessarily treated as value-adding improvements.
Provide permissions, invoices and a clear description of works. The valuer should not assume that every pound spent produces the same increase in market value.
Avoiding an expired report
Shared ownership valuations are typically accepted for a limited period. Delays in nomination, conveyancing or mortgage arrangements can lead to a need for an update. Ask who can issue it, what form it must take and which transaction stage requires a valid figure.
The report cannot guarantee provider acceptance, buyer demand or completion. It is not a building survey or legal interpretation of the lease.
If an offer differs from the valuation, do not agree a revised transaction figure without checking the provider’s process. Shared ownership leases can control the price and treatment of the unsold share. The conveyancer and provider should explain what is permitted, while the valuer can address genuine new market evidence within an agreed update.
- Request the current resale instructions
- Confirm the ownership share and lease details
- Supply service-charge and major-works information
- Document approved improvements
- Plan around the provider’s validity rules
Advice for your property
Get the right professional inspection
Online guidance is useful, but it cannot account for the construction, condition and history of an individual property. Tell us what you are buying or need valued and we will explain the appropriate service.
Authoritative sources and further reading
The guide is general information, not property-specific, structural, legal, tax or financial advice. Source pages can change; consult the relevant professional for your circumstances.