Staircasing allows you to buy extra shares in your home. If you are a shared owner, you can buy extra shares in your home until you own 100% of the property. The greater the share you own in your home the less rent you will pay. If you Staircase to 100% ownership you become an outright owner and will no longer have to pay rent.
- If you're interested in Staircasing your property the first thing you need to do is find out if you can afford to so. You may wish to speak to your current lender who can assess you and your current mortgage to advise if you are able to do take on additional borrowing to purchase a larger share of your home. You can also contact a new lender to find out if taking out a new mortgage is a better option for you, as you may be able to take out a larger loan to purchase the additional share with a better interest rate. Another option you may wish to consider is to contact a Financial Advisor who can assess your financial circumstances.
- It is important to note that securing the funds can be the most prolonged part of the Staircasing process so we strongly advise you to check if you are able to Staircase before you obtain an independent valuation of your property.
To buy extra shares in your home, you need to contact your Leasehold Services Officer on 0207 326 3700. We will send you information about the process and the valuation fee. You must pay the valuation fee to enable us to carry out a valuation of your property. Once our surveyors have valued your property and you have told us what proportion of your home you are able to afford, we will calculate the cost of that share and the reduction in your rent.