VALUER
REPORT VALID FOR
FORMAT
What Is a Shared Ownership Valuation?
A shared ownership valuation is an independent assessment of your home’s full market value, carried out by a RICS Registered Valuer. Your housing association uses it to set the price when you staircase, sell your share, or remortgage — the figure applies to the whole property, and your share is calculated from it.
Housing associations don’t accept estate agent appraisals for this — the valuation must come from an independent RICS valuer, which is exactly what we provide.
How Staircasing Works
Staircasing means buying more shares in your home from your housing association — step by step, until you own it outright. Each step is priced from a fresh RICS valuation of the full market value at the time you buy.
25%
A typical starting share — rent paid on the rest
50%
Each step priced from a fresh RICS valuation
75%
Rent falls as your share grows
100%
Full ownership — no more rent
THE USUAL CHECKLIST
- Valued by an independent RICS valuer — not an estate agent
- A full Red Book report with comparable evidence
- Valid for typically 3 months
- Check your lease — some HAs have specific format requirements
What Your Housing Association Requires
Every housing association sets requirements for the valuation it will accept — and they’re strict about them. A report that doesn’t meet the rules means paying for a second one, so it pays to get it right first time.
When You'll Need the Valuation
Staircasing
Buying a bigger share — the valuation sets the price of the shares you’re buying from the housing association.
Selling your share
Before selling a shared ownership property, your housing association requires an independent valuation to set the resale price.
Remortgaging
A current market value to support your remortgage — often alongside a staircasing application.
CONSIDERED IN YOUR VALUATION
- Location, size, layout and condition
- Comparable sales in the area
- Current market conditions and trends
- Full market value — with your share calculated from it
What Your Valuation Report Includes
A RICS Registered Valuer inspects the property and provides a full market valuation of the whole home — your share is calculated from that figure. The report explains the evidence and methodology clearly, in the format your housing association accepts.
Shared Ownership Valuation Cost
Your exact price depends on the property and takes two minutes to get online. The price you see is the price you pay — no callback, no haggling.
THE RED BOOK STANDARD
What a Red Book Valuation Means
Every valuation we provide is carried out by a RICS Registered Valuer and reported to the RICS Valuation — Global Standards, known as the “Red Book”. That’s what makes the figure defensible: a consistent, evidence-based method, comparable sales, and a report format that institutions trust.
- ✓ RICS Registered Valuer
- ✓ Red Book methodology
- ✓ Accepted by HMRC, lenders, housing associations & courts
FAQs
Who pays for the valuation?
Usually you, the leaseholder — whether you’re staircasing, selling or remortgaging, arranging and paying for the valuation is normally your responsibility under the lease. It’s worth knowing that going in, but it also works in your favour: you’re the client, you choose the valuer, and the report is done for you rather than around you. Check your lease or your housing association’s guidance if you’re unsure — a few schemes handle it differently.
What if I disagree with the figure?
Talk to us first. If you think the valuation misses something, an improvement you’ve made, a comparable sale we should see, send the evidence over and your valuer will genuinely consider it. What we won’t do is move a figure without evidence; the valuation only works because your housing association can trust it’s independent. If the market shifts before you complete, that’s what re-valuations are for rather than negotiation.
How long is the valuation valid, and what about re-valuations?
Housing associations typically accept a valuation for three months. If your staircasing or sale hasn’t completed in that window, most schemes require the figure to be refreshed — often a quicker (and cheaper) update to the existing report rather than starting from scratch, provided not too long has passed. If you know your timeline is tight, tell us when you book and we’ll time the inspection so the validity window covers your likely completion date.
Does the housing association nominate the valuer?
Practices vary. Most housing associations simply require an independent RICS Registered Valuer — which is what we are — while some maintain a panel or approval list. Check your staircasing or resale pack, or just tell us who your housing association is: we work with schemes across the North West and can confirm quickly whether our reports are accepted. In almost all cases, an independent RICS Red Book valuation is exactly what they’re asking for.
Is the valuation the same as the price I can actually sell at?
Not always, and it’s an honest distinction worth understanding. The valuation is an independent assessment of open market value at the date of inspection — it sets the basis your housing association uses to price your share. The market then has its say: buyers may offer more or less depending on demand. For staircasing the RICS figure is the number that counts; for resales, your housing association will typically market your share based on it. What the valuation guarantees is that the starting number is fair, evidenced and accepted by everyone in the transaction.