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Frequently Asked Questions

When a new development is advertised you will be notified of the full value of the property and the minimum share purchase available.

In purchasing your new home you will incur some initial costs such as: survey fees; legal fees and the deposit. You are advised to have/save between £4,000 and £5,000 to cover these costs. You may also have to pay stamp duty depending on the value of the share you are buying.

There are also on-going costs once you have moved into your new home such as: mortgage repayments; rent; service charge; repairs and maintenance. We aim to provide you with as much information as possible when we advertise properties.

Yes. Up to four people can become joint owners, provided one applicant meets the criteria. However, the total household income threshold will apply regardless of the number of people buying the property.
Yes. You can buy up to 75% of the shared ownership property in the first year. However, some schemes may require you to have owned your property for one year before applying to buy more shares.
You are entitled to sell your property. An independent valuation will be conducted and you can then use our service to find a buyer, potentially reducing the cost of selling your property. If your home is not sold within three months you may sell the property on the open market subject to the restrictions of the scheme.
By law, we cannot give you advice on these matters, but we will give you information to help you get this advice from solicitors and independent financial advisers, so you are fully prepared for the process of buying a home.
Home buy offers affordable homes for rent and sale to local people who live or work in Hammersmith & Fulham. You need to register with h&f Home Buy to express an interest in a property.
You can apply for any size property, but priority will be given to households who require a size suitable for their needs and in line with the h&f Home Buy prioritisation policy and eligibility criteria. For example, a couple with children may get priority for a two-bedroom home over a single buyer and couples without children.
You can apply for any size property, but priority will be given to households who require a size suitable for their needs and in line with the Home Buy prioritisation policy and eligibility criteria. For example, a couple with children may get priority for a two-bedroom home over a single buyer and couples without children.
The Council does not own the freehold of the properties we advertise – the freeholder will either be a Housing Association or a Housing Developer.
You may have to pay Stamp Duty on a share ownership property but only on the share that you are purchasing. For more information, please visit HM Revenues and Customs.
You may be eligible to rent and buy if you can demonstrate you can obtain a suitable mortgage.
You may be eligible to apply again for another home if your housing need has changed. You will need to have sold your home or be at the point of exchanging contracts.
No, under the affordable home ownership schemes subletting is not permitted. You will need to purchase the remaining share before being able to rent out your property. Please contact our Home Buy Team for further advice.
Before purchasing you will need to have a financial assessment to ensure that you are able to afford the cost of buying your home and paying the cost of living yourself. If your financial circumstances change you may seek advice from your mortgage or financial adviser.
Yes, all applicants who will be living in the property with you must be included on your application.

The homebuy scheme is primarily intended for people who live or work in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. The only time we will ask a member of the public who does not match the criteria to register is if the property is a Council Equity Share (CES) property that has been approved for sale on the open market and is now being marketed by an estate agent.

If the open market buyer intends to purchase the discounted value, their annual income cannot exceed £90,000. However, this income restriction is removed if the buyer purchases the full 100% amount.

If a property is reclassified as an 'open market sale', we will ask the potential buyer to register on the website where they will be considered for these properties.

Please note that if you do not live or work in the Borough, you will not be eligible for any properties on the homebuy website that have not been approved for sale on the open market.

Please note that Social Tenants are categorised as those presently in council housing or those being housed by a Registered Provider (e.g. a housing association) where the Council will gain nomination rights over the vacated property. This includes H&F council tenants with secure tenancies, or tenants with Registered Providers who have an assured tenancy (including those housing association tenants with a 5 year Assured Shorthold tenancy) in the Borough. Please note that it does not include any designations outside this (e.g. intermediate rental properties).