Finding housing stability through shared ownership 

Shared ownership is an affordable way to buy a home of your own. NCHA's customers have written about their experiences in a series of case studies, to explain what shared ownership has done for them.

CJ recently became a shared ownership homeowner on a newly completed, award-winning development in Nottingham. CJ, who is disabled and lives with long-term medical conditions, purchased a 25% share in a two-bedroom mid-terrace house. For her, shared ownership has not only provided an affordable route into homeownership but also marked a transformative new chapter in her life.

Before moving, CJ had spent 18 years in a privately rented home that was riddled with damp and plagued by noise nuisance. The property was neglected by the landlord and didn’t support her needs. Despite her efforts, her local council was unable to offer her housing in her local area, an area important to her due to proximity to family and her medical support team.

When CJ received a pension lump sum, she began exploring her housing options. Living on a low income, buying a home outright wasn’t realistic, but shared ownership offered a pathway to home ownership. Having found the scheme through an internet search for shared ownership properties in Nottingham, she realised this could be the opportunity she needed.

“The only way I could afford to own my own home was through shared ownership,” CJ says. “I was one of the first to apply for this scheme. I found the development before the homes were even on the market.”

CJ’s new home is well-designed and, crucially, meets many of her access needs. It is spacious and features a downstairs toilet and a parking space directly in front of the property, an essential requirement due to her disability.

“I’ve always dreamed of owning my own home, and for it to be an eco-home makes me even happier,” she shares.

Noise sensitivity was another consideration. As someone who is neurodivergent, CJ appreciates the excellent soundproofing in the property: “I can’t hear a thing from the neighbours, and that makes a huge difference.”

Living in a safe and supportive community has been a major benefit of the move. “The neighbours are wonderful,” CJ says. “It’s a nice new community and I feel very safe here. I am hopeful to staircase and buy more shares of the home in the future.”

For CJ, shared ownership made something possible that otherwise wouldn’t have been. “Shared ownership has given me the chance to feel safe and secure, in a home and a community I love.”