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Changes to the law for shared owners who rent out their home 

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On 1 May 2026, new rules under the Renters’ Rights Act changed how private renting works in England.  

Most shared owners will not be affected.  

This information is for shared owners who:  

  • rent out (sub-let) their shared ownership home, or  
  • are thinking about asking for permission to do so.  

If you don’t rent out your home

If you don’t sub-let your shared ownership home you don’t need to do anything.  

A key date to be aware of: 31 May 2026

For some shared owners who already rent out their home, 31 May 2026 is an important deadline.  

By this date, you may need to take certain steps, such as giving your tenant specific information required under the new law.  

If this deadline is missed, it could make things harder later on – for example if you want to:  

  • sell your home  
  • move back in  
  • rent it out again in the future  

Who this applies to 

We’re here to help.  

Call us on 0800 916 1444 or email  
homeownership@sanctuary.co.uk  

Important: renting out a shared ownership home  

Shared ownership homes can only be rented out in limited situations, and you must have our written permission before you do so.  

You can find more information about requesting permission on our website:  

Subletting your home

Want to understand the law in more detail?  

The government has published guidance explaining what the Renters’ Rights Act means for shared owners who rent out their home:  

 

The Renters’ Rights Act and Shared Ownership