● 2026 · Shared ownership

Shared Ownership Staircasing Calculator

Q: How is the cost of staircasing calculated?

You pay for the extra percentage share at the home's current full market value, set by a RICS surveyor. For example, buying an extra 25% of a £300,000 home costs £75,000, plus a valuation fee and legal fees. The price is based on today's value, not what you originally paid.

Q: Can I staircase to 100% ownership?

In most shared-ownership schemes, yes — you can keep buying shares until you own the home outright, at which point you stop paying rent on the housing association's share. A small number of schemes (for example in some rural or designated areas) cap the maximum share, so check your lease.

Q: What fees do I pay to staircase?

Each time you staircase you typically pay a RICS valuation fee (often £300–£500), legal/conveyancing fees (often £800–£1,500), your mortgage costs and sometimes a survey. Because these recur, buying fewer, larger shares usually means lower total fees than many small steps — unless your lease offers reduced-fee 1% staircasing.

Q: Does staircasing affect my rent?

Yes. Rent is charged on the share you don't own, so buying a bigger share reduces your monthly rent. Once you reach 100% the rent stops entirely, although service charges and any ground rent on a leasehold flat usually continue.

Want to own more of your shared-ownership home? Staircasing means buying extra shares from the housing association at the current market value. Enter your home's value, the share you own now and your target share to see the cost.

🪜 Buy bigger shares 💷 Current market value 📅 2026 guide

Cost to staircase

Extra share + fees

Current full market value

Share you own now %

Share you want to own after staircasing %

How staircasing works

With shared ownership you buy a share of a home (often 25%–75%) and pay rent to a housing association on the rest. Staircasing is the process of buying further shares later to increase your ownership — and reduce your rent — eventually up to 100% in most schemes. The key point: each new share is priced at the home's current market value, set by a RICS surveyor, not the price you originally paid.

A rising market cuts both ways. If your home has gone up in value, the extra share costs more than when you bought in — but you also already own a share that has grown. You pay for a RICS valuation and legal fees every time you staircase, so buying larger chunks less often usually costs less in fees overall.

Newer leases and 1% staircasing

Homes on the newer model shared-ownership lease (from 2021 onwards) allow you to staircase in smaller 1% steps for the first few years, sometimes with reduced fees, making it easier to build up ownership gradually. Older leases usually require minimum 10% steps. Check your lease before you start. Once you own 100% you stop paying rent, though service charges and ground rent may continue.

To plan the wider move, check what you can borrow with the mortgage affordability calculator and your monthly cost with the mortgage calculator. Staircasing can trigger stamp duty depending on how you elected to pay it at the start.

Shared Ownership Staircasing FAQs

How is the cost of staircasing calculated?

You pay for the extra percentage at the home's current full market value (set by a RICS surveyor), plus valuation and legal fees. Buying an extra 25% of a £300,000 home costs £75,000 plus fees — based on today's value, not your original price.

Can I staircase to 100% ownership?

In most schemes yes — you can staircase to 100% and stop paying rent. A few schemes (some rural/designated areas) cap the maximum share, so check your lease.

What fees do I pay to staircase?

Each time you typically pay a RICS valuation fee (~£300–£500), legal fees (~£800–£1,500), mortgage costs and sometimes a survey. Fewer, larger steps usually cost less in fees — unless your lease offers reduced-fee 1% staircasing.

Does staircasing affect my rent?

Yes — rent is charged on the share you don't own, so a bigger share cuts your rent. At 100% the rent stops, though service charges and ground rent on a leasehold flat usually continue.