Reimagining Staircasing: A Passive Pathway to Full Homeownership

At this year’s UKREiiF session on The Future of Shared Ownership in the UK, a key theme emerged: the need to make staircasing more intuitive. From fragmented processes to limited communication, many buyers are left confused, disengaged, or unaware of their options. As a result, opportunities to help people fully own their homes are being missed.

At SOWN, we believe it’s time to reimagine staircasing as a passive, user-friendly journey — one that buyers don’t have to chase, but are guided through with confidence and clarity. Here’s how we think the sector can get there:

 Proactive Communication

Rather than waiting for buyers to come forward, Housing Associations should consider building in automated prompts or anniversary reminders that flag potential staircasing opportunities. Whether triggered by time in the property, shifts in affordability, or mortgage rate changes, these nudges can reignite interest and encourage action.

A Digital Experience

Buyers expect the same kind of intuitive digital service they receive from online banks, retailers, or mortgage apps. An integrated, mobile-friendly staircasing portal could guide them through each step, track affordability, simulate outcomes, and provide instant answers to common questions — without needing to make multiple phone calls or submit paper forms.

Affordability Tools

Some buyers assume they can’t afford to staircase — even when that’s no longer the case. By introducing light-touch affordability assessments or online calculators that update based on market values and personal financial data (with the right permissions), Housing Associations can help buyers better understand their options — and open the door to greater ownership.

Transparency on Costs

Many Shared Ownership buyers are unclear about the costs associated with staircasing — legal fees, valuations, remortgaging, etc. A transparent, standardised breakdown of these costs (perhaps even shared at initial purchase) would help set expectations early and reduce perceived barriers later in the journey.

Why This Matters
Empowering more people to staircase isn’t just good for individual buyers. It can also:

• Reduce operational churn by retaining engaged residents
• Free up smaller shares for resale to other priority buyers
• Deliver more revenue for Housing Associations to reinvest

At SOWN, we’re committed to helping our partners streamline their processes and make staircasing work — for the long-term benefit of residents and the sector alike.

Let’s move from passive ownership to empowered ownership. It’s time to make staircasing seamless.