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Own 10%, Live 100%: A renter’s guide to Shared Ownership in London

Saving for a home in London while renting can feel impossible. You’re working hard, but every month your income disappears on rent, while that deposit keeps getting further away as house prices climb.

But here’s something you might not know, you don’t need a massive deposit to buy your first home in London. With NHG Homes offering shares starting from just 10%, homeownership might be closer than you think.

What actually is Shared Ownership?

Think of Shared Ownership as a stepping stone onto the property ladder – one that gets you there now, rather than years down the line. Instead of buying 100% of a property, you buy a share starting from just 10%. You pay a mortgage on your share, below-market rent on the rest, and the usual service charges.

Here’s where it gets interesting: your deposit is only calculated on the share you’re buying, not the full property price. If you’re buying a 10% share of a £400,000 property, your deposit is based on a £40,000 mortgage, not £400,000. In real terms, that could mean needing just £4,000 for a 10% deposit, just 1% of the overall property value. Compare that to the £40,000 deposit you’d need buying outright.

Save thousands every year

At Laney House in Greenwich, NHG Homes Shared Ownership apartments have monthly costs starting from around £1,266 when purchasing the minimum 10% share with less than £2,000 deposit. This covers your mortgage, rent, and service charges combined. The average rent for a one bedroom in the same area? Around £1,600. That’s nearly £4,000 back in your pocket annually, money you could use to increase your share through “staircasing” or simply enjoy greater financial breathing room.

At The View at Aspect in Croydon, total monthly costs start from £1,177 when purchasing a 25% share with less than £5,000 deposit, compared to around £1,400 for private renting nearby, a saving of close to £2,700 yearly.

The rent you pay on the share you don’t own is subsidised by up to 35% compared to market rent, with rental increases capped according to your lease, protecting you from unexpected hikes and giving you the security of a long-term lease.

Is this right for you?

Shared Ownership could suit you if you’re earning a steady income but haven’t saved a traditional deposit or don’t yet have enough to buy on the open market. The 10% share option brings deposits down to achievable amounts you could realistically save in a year or two, rather than waiting a decade.

As a shared owner, you typically don’t pay Stamp Duty until you own more than 80% of your home. Most Shared Ownership purchases remain Stamp Duty-free, whilst comparable open market properties now incur larger costs since Stamp Duty thresholds were lowered in April 2025.

How NHG Homes can support you

At NHG Homes, we’ve developed resources to help you make informed decisions: cost calculators for realistic monthly projections, connections to independent financial advisors, dedicated customer service, and comprehensive repairs support on certain leases.

Ready to explore?

NHG Homes is an award-winning Shared Ownership brand with over 40 years of expertise building affordable homes in London. We’ve been helping Londoners into homeownership since 1980 when we launched the first Shared Ownership scheme, and have since helped thousands on Londoners onto the property ladder right here in the capital.

Across its portfolio, NHG Homes offers homes to purchase with Shared Ownership and private sale, supporting residents all the way through the buying process and beyond.

Check out our Shared Ownership video to learn more and take a peek inside our developments.

See where your budget could take you at www.nhghomes.com/compare-the-costs.

Attend the London Home Show

Tickets for the London Home Show are free, but visitors must register in advance to attend. For more information, or to reserve your place at the capital’s no.1 first time buyer event, please visit the event page.

Share to Buy lists thousands of affordable properties across the country, including those available through Shared Ownership, Rent to Buy, and Discount Market Sale. Learn more about the different buying and rental schemes available today.