TL;DR
Shared Ownership Scotland: direct answer
Shared ownership in Scotland lets eligible buyers buy a 25%, 50% or 75% share of a home, while the housing association owns the remaining share.
Because the housing association owns part of the home, the buyer pays an occupancy charge as well as mortgage and normal ownership costs.
It is different from shared equity: shared equity usually has no rent on the government stake, while shared ownership has an occupancy charge.
Availability is provider-led and local. Buyers must check current properties, waiting lists and criteria with the participating social landlord.
Status
Provider-led availability
Shared ownership in Scotland is not one always-available national product. You need to check participating social landlords, available properties, waiting lists and local criteria.
Source check
The main mygov.scot shared ownership guidance was last updated on 25 May 2018. The mechanics are still useful, but provider availability and lender criteria must be checked directly before publication or reservation.
How it works
Through Scottish shared ownership, you buy a share of a home instead of funding the full cost. The official guidance says you can buy a 25%, 50% or 75% share, while the housing association owns the remaining share.
Because the housing association owns part of the home, you pay an occupancy charge to live in the home. The housing association tells you how much that charge is.
Who may qualify
The official how-to-apply guidance says priority is given to groups such as first-time buyers with limited housing alternatives, armed forces members, recent veterans, certain bereaved partners, public sector tenants, low-income families and disabled people.
If you can afford to buy outright, the official guidance says you will not qualify for shared ownership housing.
Deposit, mortgage and costs
You usually need a mortgage and deposit for the share you buy. The deposit is lender-led rather than a single national shared ownership rule, so avoid quoting a fixed percentage unless a specific lender or provider confirms it.
Monthly costs can include mortgage payments, occupancy charge, factors costs, insurance, repairs, maintenance, council tax, heating, lighting, water and furniture.
How this differs from shared equity
Shared ownership and shared equity are often confused. The official overview says shared equity means you own the home outright, while shared ownership means a housing association still owns part of the home and charges a fee to live in it.
- Shared ownership: 25%, 50% or 75% buyer share, housing association owns the rest, occupancy charge applies.
- New Supply Shared Equity: usually 60% to 80% buyer share, Scottish Government holds the rest, no rent on the government share.
- Open Market Shared Equity: usually 60% to 90% buyer share on open-market homes, but currently closed.
How to apply
The official route is through participating social landlords. They may have waiting lists and will take housing need into account before offering an application form or property.
- Check social landlords and shared ownership availability in your area.
- Ask about waiting lists, property criteria, share options and occupancy charge.
- Check mortgage affordability for the share you want to buy.
- Complete the provider application if a property is available.
- Submit the mortgage application to the lender.
- Ask your solicitor to review occupancy, resale and staircasing terms.
After buying
The official after-buying guidance says you can usually buy a larger share after you have lived in the home for one year. This is called staircasing, and the occupancy charge is recalculated if the housing association owns a smaller share.
If you sell, you usually receive the same share of the selling price that you own. Some agreements may require you to offer the home back to the housing association first.
Alternatives
If shared ownership is not available or the occupancy charge makes the monthly cost too high, compare:
- New Supply Shared Equity: no rent on the government share, but only for specific new-build projects.
- Open Market Shared Equity: open-market shared equity, currently closed.
- First Homes Fund: up to £10,000 support for eligible first-time buyers.
- Standard mortgage options: useful if you can avoid provider restrictions.
How Extend Finance can help
Extend Finance can help with the mortgage side: affordability, lender choice, documents and understanding how the scheme affects the application. We do not decide scheme eligibility, allocate properties or approve the scheme application.
We can compare the mortgage and monthly cost of shared ownership against shared equity and standard mortgage routes. We cannot allocate a property or approve housing association eligibility.
Official sources
Sources checked on 2026-07-07: mygov.scot Shared Ownership overview, how it works, how to apply and after buying.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is shared ownership available in Scotland now?
It can be, but availability is provider-led. You need to check participating housing associations, local waiting lists and current properties.
What share can I buy?
The official mygov.scot guidance says buyers can buy a 25%, 50% or 75% share of a home.
What is an occupancy charge?
It is the fee paid to the housing association because it owns the share of the home you have not bought. The housing association tells you the amount.
How is shared ownership different from shared equity?
In shared ownership, a housing association owns part of the home and charges an occupancy charge. In shared equity, the buyer usually has complete title and the government stake is repaid as a percentage later.
Can I buy more shares later?
The official after-buying guidance says you can usually buy a larger share after living in the home for one year. This is called staircasing.
Can Extend Finance approve my shared ownership application?
No. We can help with the mortgage side and cost comparison, but the housing association decides provider eligibility and property allocation.