Providers need to improve the long-term experience of shared owners

The long-term future of the shared ownership tenure will be shaped by what happens after residents move in.  Writing in Social Housing, Natasha Greenwood of the New Homes Quality Board observed that the satisfaction of shared owners with their tenure is low and tends to decline over time.  This is being driven by issues with rents and service charges, repairs, landlord communication, and difficulties with the staircasing process.  She called on RPs to adopt the Shared Ownership Code, not only as a compliance exercise, but also as a sign of confidence in the organisation’s ability to give shared owners a positive long-term experience.