There was also consultation and engagement with customers, housing providers, mortgage lenders and sector specialists over an 18-month period.
The Council said the Code had been created to standardise best practice and consumer protection for shared ownership.
“It aims to ensure transparency, fairness and improved support for shared owners in marketing, purchasing, and management of their homes,” it said.
The Council is in the process of appointing a Code Operator, who will be responsible for running and implementing the Code on an ongoing basis.
Following this appointment, it will share further guidance and supporting documents on the adoption process for shared ownership providers.
The eight providers involved in the pilot were Clarion Housing Group, Heylo, Housing 21, L&Q, LiveWest, Onward, SNG, and Stonewater.
The Council highlighted some key updates to the Shared Ownership Code:
- Service charges: the Code has refined service charge requirements and introduces a Service Charge Information Document (SCID), which providers must share with prospective shared owners alongside the Summary of Costs Key Information Document. Providers must flag in annual customer updates if final service charges rise significantly above estimates or inflation.
- Defects period: the Code guarantees shared owners a minimum 12-month defects period from purchase completion (after an initial transition period), improving on the current system where many receive less. “The 12-month minimum is a meaningful improvement, with an ambition to work with housebuilders to move towards 24 months in the future.”
- Lease extension policies: the Code’s lease extension requirements have been updated to better align with expected reforms, with providers required to adopt one of three policies in the Code.
Providers involved in the pilot also suggested several new requirements, some of which include:
- Training plans: to develop clear training plans for all staff in shared ownership, ensuring they have the knowledge and skills to effectively support shared owners.
- Lease extension notification: to notify shared owners when their lease falls below 90 years, or, if data is insufficient, to regularly remind shared owners of the benefits of extending and to check their lease term.
Ann Santry, Chair of the Shared Ownership Council, said: “A lot of hard work has gone into developing the Code, with support from our funders, our Senior Advisory Group of Experts, and those involved in the pilot, who demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the process and support towards unlocking a stronger and fairer shared ownership market.
“We feel the Code has addressed several of the issues flagged in the Government’s Levelling Up report and believe that shared ownership has a key role to play in addressing housing needs.
“We are urging housing providers up and down the country to register to adopt the Code so we can improve and future-proof the product for the good of current and future shared owners.”