Shared Ownership Homes is a consultancy headed by Brian Bennis. Having spent his whole working life in the financial services arena, particularly in the area of mortgages, he has brought together a collection of experienced professionals determined to break the 'log-jams', enabling people with learning disabilities to enjoy the same level of accommodation security and self-esteem enjoyed by the rest of society.  

The major partner in the consultancy is SeeAbility, formerly The Royal School for the Blind, the national charity for people who have a sensory impairment and additional disability.  SeeAbility has been providing care, support and accommodation services for disabled people for over two hundred years. SeeAbility is convinced shared ownership offers real opportunities for many people with a learning disability - people get the chance of a secure home with proper housing rights and have a real choice as to where they live. Here is SeeAbility's website.

Together, the team has spent many months researching the reasons why this discrimination continues, despite the wishes of the Government and all businesses that everyone should be treated equally wherever possible.

Shared Ownership Homes has brought together all the key Partners needed to make home ownership a reality for you, including Housing Associations, Care and Support Providers, Commissioners and Purchasers, Mortgage Lenders and Solicitors.   

Our over-riding principle:  

You will not only end up with a home of your own, you will do so without having to spend any money acquiring the property or paying rent or mortgage interest to live in the property once you're in occupation

This has been achieved in a very simple way. The Housing Association, the Care Manager and the Lender are all commercial organisations that need to cover their costs or make a profit. And in pursuing this goal, they all have 'marketing budgets'. To be nominated as a Partner of Shared Ownership Homes, not only do they have to pass our stringent quality control tests, they also have to agree to share part of their marketing budget with us. The combined sum we receive from these organisations is sufficient to cover the entire cost of the service, including the administration and staff costs, valuation and legal fees in connection with the mortgage together with the legal fees and disbursements associated with the purchase of the property.

In short, they pay so you don't have to!