Social housing tenancies are like gold dust. Private rented accommodation is expensive (and increasing) and in shorter supply. Owner occupation is a distant pipe dream for many.

So, is shared ownership the ideal solution?

HQN has put together an event to consider the current situation and options for the future.

We’ll consider:

• The broader context including the LUHC Committee inquiry into shared ownership and the plans (if they still exist) around reform in this area
• How to market shared ownership without falling foul of the regulators (following the recent ASA ruling)
• The financial side of the equation – making the product financially viable as well as affordable to customers
• The banks can play in turning the product into a winner.

Delegates will leave with a clearer picture of where the shared ownership sector could be heading, how it could be part of the solution to the housing crisis and what they should be doing within their organisations.

Essential for everyone involved in shared ownership – specialist teams, finance, marketing and sales, policy and strategy.

10.30 Welcome and introductions

• • Alistair McIntosh, Chief Executive, HQN

10.40 Introduction to the event

• • Sue Phillips (FCCA), Founder, Shared Ownership Resources

10.45 Shared ownership

• • Alistair McIntosh, Chief Executive, HQN

11.00 An overview of recent developments

• • Sue Phillips (FCCA), Founder, Shared Ownership Resources

11.15 Building a better shared ownership market

• • Andy Mason, Head of Housing and Sustainability, Lloyds Banking Group

11.45 How does charity law apply to shared owners?

• • Gemma Bell, Partner, Devonshires

12.15 Summary of the morning sessions

12.30 Lunch

13.00 Introduction to afternoon sessions

• • Alistair McIntosh, Chief Executive, HQN

  • Sue Phillips (FCCA), Founder, Shared Ownership Resources

13.05 Shared ownership and the ASA

• • Rawdon Crozier, Barrister

13.35 The consumer perspective – Two sides of the shared ownership model – new builds and resales

• • Timea Szabo, Data Protection Officer/Consultant

14.05 Break

14.15 The lenders view

• • Chris Busey, Policy Manager, Building Societies Association

14.45 Breakout sessions

15.00 Feedback from breakout sessions

15.20 Summary and final thoughts

15.30 Close

Alistair McIntosh, Chief Executive, HQN

Alistair McIntosh is one of the social housing sector’s most respected and best known personalities.

As founder and Chief Executive of HQN, he is regarded as one of the foremost advisers on governance and regulation, specialising in VfM and stress testing. His hands-on approach sees Alistair leading on all HQN’s in-depth assessment mock exercises and support work, designing and running the popular Iron Grip sessions and chairing/speaking at conferences and events.

Career highlights include setting up and running the National Federation of ALMOs, leading the popular consultation on the regulatory standards for housing, and developing an approach to VfM that won praise from the housing minister.

A regular contributor to the housing press, Alistair’s columns are known for their humorous, pointed and painfully accurate assessment of the state of social housing.

Sue Phillips (FCCA), Founder, Shared Ownership Resources

Sue launched Shared Ownership Resources in 2021, to champion the interests of shared owners and households considering shared ownership. The project publishes case studies, collaborates with housing, legal and financial experts to offer specialist information and advice; and campaigns for improved transparency and better outcomes and against mis-selling and other poor practices in the sector.

She has spoken at events including Homes UK 2023 and the British New Homes Mortgage Senate 2022. In May 2023, she published Shared Ownership: The Consumer Perspective.

Sue is a qualified chartered accountant (retired), writer and former shared owner.

Gemma Bell, Partner, Devonshires

Gemma Bell is a Partner at Devonshires, a law firm specialising in providing solutions driven legal services to a broad range of social housing providers.

Gemma advises on a range of areas including social housing regulatory, charity law, governance, company and community benefit society law, corporate restructuring projects, joint ventures, stock transfers and mergers and acquisitions.

She acts for a range of clients nationally including housing associations, local authorities, charities and social enterprises.

Timea Szabo, Data Protection Officer/Consultant

Timea is a shared owner who has lived in two shared ownership flats in London, a new build “bought” from new with low service charges and rent, and a resale “bought” with 86 years left on the lease where the service charges doubled and the rent rose very sharply, all at the same time. She is a professional, a solo parent who chose shared ownership for a second time after fleeing an abusive relationship with a small child based on her first experience with the model.

She has experienced a seamless customer journey with selling one property after just under 10 years, and a completely different one with the older property which not only needed a new boiler and new floors, but which is caught up in the building safety crisis, making the property un-mortgageable when she could have staircased, unsellable unless to a cash-buyer on the open market, with unaffordable monthly costs, a lease now at 80 years and still un-remediated building safety issues.

Andy Mason, Head of Housing and Sustainability, Lloyds Banking Group

Andy joined Lloyds Banking Group in 1993 and has a depth of experience in the Retail Bank across financial planning, product development and implementation of new products and services to market, as well as helping implement the response to the Retail Distribution Review.

He joined the mortgage team in 2015 and was responsible for development of mortgage propositions in the residential and buy to let markets, understanding and responding to changing customer needs and regulatory change. He led the development of Scottish Widows Lifetime Mortgage proposition, has been closely involved in Lloyds Banking Groups participation of the Help to Buy Schemes and developing the approach to sustainable mortgages and housing. He is currently the Head of Housing and Sustainability.

Andy began his working life on the J Sainsburys graduate management scheme before joining Lloyds. He lives in Newcastle Upon Tyne with his wife and 2 children.

Chris Busey, Policy Manager, Building Societies Association

Chris Busey is a Policy Manager for the Building Societies Association, covering all housing matters on behalf of the organisation’s members. His areas of knowledge include the housing market and government home ownership schemes. He also chairs the BSA’s Property Risk panel and provides significant support its Green Finance Taskforce.

Rawdon Crozier, Barrister

If you are unable to attend an event or public training course, please let us know in writing (email is fine) at least 48 hours before. Please email [email protected]

Otherwise, a cancellation fee of £60 plus VAT will be chargeable.

If you are using a package place to attend and do not inform us within the agreed time frame, then a place will be taken to cover your non-attendance.

Cancellations must be made in writing, and will be acknowledged by HQN Limited