Shared ownership is a low-cost home ownership scheme designed to help people on low to moderate incomes buy a home.
As sharing owner you:
Homes are bought on the open market. Available shares are usually 25%, 50% or 75%, depending on what the existing sharing owner is selling.
We cannot consider you for shared ownership if you:
Priority will be given to:
There is no waiting list. If you wish to buy a shared ownership property current for sale on the open market, please complete [Application Form link] and return as instructed.
It is your responsibility, before buying to carry out all appropriate due diligence. This includes:
Before you buy, it is important that you understand the home-buying process and the responsibilities involved and seek independent legal and financial advice before committing to the purchase.
As a sharing owner, you have a financial stake in your home. Your rights and responsibilities are broadly the same as those of an outright homeowner.
Your Responsibilities
You are responsible for:
Our responsibilities
We may be responsible for:
Your Occupancy Payment is reduced to reflect that you pay for repairs and maintenance yourself.
If there is a dispute, we will refer to your Occupancy Agreement and Disposition and may take legal action if required.
You do not need permission to carry out routine repairs or maintenance to your home.
You must obtain written consent before making any material or structural changes to your home.
To apply:
If you are unsure, please contact your Property Officer before starting any work [link to customer service email/number].
Block Repairs
In some developments, we act as Property Factor and arrange common repairs. For more information on Hillcrest’s role as Property Factor in your block, please see [link to factoring page].
If no Property Factor is in place, residents are jointly responsible for maintaining common areas
Please refer to your Disposition and Deed of Conditions on what is classed as “common”.
If no provision is made in the title deeds or Deeds of Condition, or if those documents are silent on the matter, the Tenement Management Scheme (TMS) will apply.
Where Hillcrest is not appointed Property Factor, decisions and arrangements under the TMS are the responsibility of all owners. For more information on TMS see [link to TMS section].
Landscape Maintenance
Small, shared areas are often maintained by residents by agreement
Larger developments may have landscaped areas managed by us, with a service charge applied
Please contact Customer Services if you need information about your development
[link to customer service].
While we retain a share in your property:
We arrange buildings insurance under our block policy
You pay the annual premium (invoiced each September)
You must arrange your own contents insurance.
Should you require a copy of your Insurance documents or wish to discuss any insurance related matters, please contact [insurance team] in the first instance.
Buildings Insurance – What you need to know
While we retain a share in your home, buildings insurance is arranged and renewed annually under our block insurance policy.
The policy holder is Hillcrest, however, your interest in the property and that of your mortgage lender is noted under the policy. Insurance details are below:
Insurer: Allied World Assurance Company (Europe) DAC
Broker: Arthur J. Gallagher Insurance Brokers Limited
Period of Cover: 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026
What the buildings insurance covers:
The policy covers the structure of the building and common parts, including:
The policy also includes Property Owners’ Liability.
What is not covered:
This is not an exhaustive list. Full Explusions are set out in the policy wording.
What to do if damage occurs
Please note the minimum claims value is £10,000 for building claims*
Excess Levels – who pays:
Each claim is subject to an excess:
Where damage relates solely to your home, you are responsible for paying the excess. Where damage affects common parts or multiple properties, the excess may be shared in line with the title conditions.
Additional cover and extensions
The policy also includes cover for:
If you buy 100% of your home, you must arrange your own buildings insurance.
Making a claim
If damage occurs:
Take reasonable steps to prevent further damage
Report the issue to us as soon as possible – we will provide you with advice on next steps.
If the damage is caused by theft or vandalism, report it to the police.
You must cooperate fully and provide access for inspections, surveys, repairs where necessary.
Claims should be reported promptly, as late notification may affect cover.
Your responsibilities when making a claim
You must:
Failure to comply with the policy conditions may result in the insurer refusing or limiting a claim
Claims involving negligence or poor maintenance
If damage arises due to:
The insurer may refuse cover, and you may be held fully responsible for the repair costs.
How insurance costs are calculated
The costs of the block insurance policy is based on:
Your share of the premium is recharged to you and invoiced annually.
Further information
This webpage provides a summary only. The full terms, conditions and exclusions are set out in the policy documents. Please contact [insurance team] to obtain a copy and/or discuss your buildings insurance.
Buying Additional Shares (Tranching Up)
You can buy additional shares after living in your home for at least one year.
Key points:
You must:
You cannot buy more shares if there are outstanding arrears.
Selling Your Home
If you own 100%, you can sell and move freely.
However, if we still own a share in your property you must contact us to obtain our agreement to sell.
It is our policy to agree to enter into a “joint sale” of the property. This means that both your share and our share is placed on the open market to be sold together. It is similar to any house sale, but it must be borne in mind that as there are two owners, each party must be in agreement.
You are responsible for:
You will also be responsible for your own legal fees in connection with the share you are selling, as we will be for our own legal fees for selling our share.
Hillcrest Homes will not contribute towards any estate agency fee you incur.
Any proceeds resulting from the sale will be apportioned to the share each of us own, at that time.
If you and your partner are joint sharing owners, and both named on the Occupancy Agreement, you will require to advise us if it is your intention to sell the property, or if one of you is to remain.
If one of you is to remain and become the sole sharing owner, we will arrange for a fresh Occupancy Agreement to be drawn up for signature. You will be liable for any costs involved in us doing this.
We would suggest that you obtain legal advice regarding situations such as this as there will be legal requirements not only with us, but also with your lender.
In the event of the death of a shared owner, the deceased’s share shall pass to their estate. It is the executors responsibility to advise the lender (if applicable) of the death of sharing owner.
The executor or beneficiary may, subject to our consent and eligibility requirements, transfer the property title and enter into an Occupancy Agreement with Hillcrest. Please see [eligibility] for more information on our shared ownership criteria.
If the Executors decide that the share of the property is to be sold, this will be dealt with in line with [Selling your Home].
Occupancy Payments
The amount payable to us on a monthly basis is called the Occupancy Payment.
The Occupancy Payment is subject to annual review and is effective from 1st April each year. You will be notified in February of any increase to your Occupancy Payment
The annual Occupancy Payment is calculated using our current rent setting policy and a deduction is made to recognise the full repairing responsibilities you have.
Your Occupancy Payment is due, in advance, on the first day of each calendar month and is normally paid by Direct Debit or Standing Order. Other payment options are available [link to payments].
If you are having difficulty meeting your occupancy payments each month, please contact us immediately to discuss your situation [link to customer service]
Early contact helps prevent arrears action
We will discuss your situation and offer support where possible
In all cases where arrears accure, staff will follow our Shared Ownership Procedure to recover any unpaid sums due
If you are having difficulty meeting the payments to your lender, you should contact them direct.
You may be entitled to Universal Credit or Housing Benefit to help towards your Occupancy Payment. Please contact our Customer Service team should you require further advice on this matter.
Payment of Council Tax to the Local Authority is your responsibility.
If you have obtained a mortgage to fund the purchase of your share in your home, the amount of the monthly repayments will be advised to you by your lender, and payable direct to them.
To provide shared ownership homes, we are required to have a Co-operation Agreement in place with the lender that provided your mortgage
This agreement requires both Hillcrest Homes and the lender to work together if there are serious arrears on either your Occupancy Payment or mortgage
For example:
This may include formal recovery action, such as arrestment of wages.
In some cases, joint legal action may be taken, and you will be responsible for all incurred costs
If you are experiencing financial difficulty, we strongly encourage you to contact us and your lender as early as possible so that support and advice can be offered.
You must request permission from us if you wish to take in a lodger.
When considering your request we will:
If you wish to apply, please complete [lodger request form].
You must also request permission from us if you wish to sub-let your home. If you wish to apply, please complete [sub let request form].
Key points:
Sub-letting is usually approved for an initial period of up to 6 months
If you do not plan to return to the property, we will need to discuss next steps with you.
If approved:
We recommend seeking independent legal advice before sub-letting your property.
Anti-social behaviour can be reported to the Local Authority, Police and Landlord where applicable. Complaints about Hillcrest Homes tenants can be made by calling 0300 123 2640.
Please see [website link] for more information.
We regard a complaint as any expression of dissatisfaction about our action, or lack of action, or about the standard of service provided by us, or by someone else working on our behalf.
We aim to achieve a front-line resolution whereby complaints are resolved within five working days.
When making a complaint, please tell us as much detail as you can including:
Our complaints procedure has two stages:
Stage 1 – Frontline resolution
For issues that are straightforward and easily resolved, requiring little or no investigation. These are complaints that can be resolved within five working days or less.
Stage 2 – Investigation
For issues that have not been resolved at stage 1 or that are complex or “high risk”. These complaints require more investigation, and a response will be provided within twenty working days.
Complaints can be made via [link], further information on our complaints process can be found here. Alternatively, please call our Customer Service Team on 0300 123 1640 or via email cusomerservice@hillcrest.org.uk to discuss further.
For information on how we use your personal data, please see Use of personal information – Hillcrest.