Home­ownership options

If you live in a leasehold home it means that you have a legal agreement with Raven which tells you how many years you’ll own your home.

Most of our residential leases were granted for 125 years, although there are a few that are shorter. It’s mostly flats that are leasehold but houses can also be leasehold, usually if they’re bought through a shared ownership scheme.

When you buy a home through a shared ownership scheme you purchase a share of the property and pay rent on the rest.

The share you initially buy is usually between 25% and 75% but you can increase this in time. With some homes you can start with buying just a 10% share.

You can buy a home through shared ownership if your household earns £80,000 a year or less – £90,000 a year or less in London – and you cannot otherwise afford all of the deposit and mortgage payments for a home that meets your needs.

Retirement schemes are usually aimed at people aged 60 or above, although this is subject to state pension changes. These schemes can offer a range of support, from simple alarm systems to onsite wardens, and enable people to live independently in a smaller, easier to manage home, often with communal areas such as gardens.