Selling Your Shared Ownership Property — Nomination Period, Right of First Refusal, and Open Market Sales

Selling a Shared Ownership Property

If you own a shared ownership property and want to move, the sale process is governed by your lease. Unlike a property you own outright, you cannot simply instruct an estate agent and sell to the highest bidder — at least not immediately. The housing association has certain rights that must be exercised first.

Understanding these rights is essential if you want to plan your exit strategy and manage your timeline effectively.

The Nomination Period

When you wish to sell your shared ownership property (at a share of less than 100%), your lease grants the housing association a **nomination period** — a window of time in which they have the exclusive right to find a buyer for your share. Under the new model (2021+), this nomination period is typically **eight weeks**. Under older model leases, it may be up to 12 weeks.

During the nomination period, the housing association will market your share to eligible shared ownership applicants on their waiting list. These are people who have already been assessed as eligible for shared ownership (income under £80,000, or £90,000 in London, and not currently owning a property). If the housing association finds a buyer during this window, the sale proceeds at the current market value of your share, based on a RICS valuation.

Right of First Refusal (ROFR)

The nomination period is sometimes described as the housing association's **right of first refusal**. This right exists to ensure that shared ownership homes continue to be used as affordable housing rather than sold at full market value to buyers who would not otherwise qualify.

The housing association is entitled to find a buyer for your share — they are not buying the share back themselves. If they successfully nominate a buyer, that buyer purchases at your agreed valuation. You receive the market value of your share.

If No Buyer Is Found During the Nomination Period

If the housing association cannot find a suitable buyer within the nomination period, you are generally free to sell on the open market to any buyer — not just those eligible for shared ownership. The new buyer does not have to be a shared ownership purchaser; they can buy your share and step into your shared ownership arrangement, or you can staircase to 100% and sell as a standard property.

In practice, most housing associations will support you in selling on the open market if the nomination period lapses. Your solicitor will manage the process, and the housing association's solicitors will be involved in the title transfer.

Selling at 100% Ownership

If you have already staircased to 100%, you own the property outright (subject to any leasehold terms if it is a flat). There is no nomination period, no right of first refusal, and no restriction on who you can sell to. You sell exactly as you would any other home — with an estate agent, on your own timeline.

This is one of the key advantages of reaching full ownership: complete freedom in the sale process.

Valuation for Resale

Whether you sell during the nomination period or on the open market, the price is set by a current RICS valuation. You cannot simply set your own asking price. If you and the housing association disagree with the valuation, you can obtain a second independent valuation and, in some cases, seek arbitration under the terms of your lease.

Tax Considerations

Shared ownership sales may be subject to **Capital Gains Tax (CGT)** if the property has increased in value and is not your principal private residence. In most cases, shared ownership buyers live in the property as their main home, meaning Private Residence Relief applies and no CGT is due. However, if you have let the property (subject to housing association consent) or it is not your primary residence, seek tax advice before selling.

Use our [Shared Ownership Calculator](/shared-ownership-calculator) to model the financial position at different ownership levels, and to understand how much equity you stand to realise at different sale scenarios.