Homeowner
![]() |
In very broad terms, an 'owner' is a person or organisation who has the rightful title to something such as property, i.e. the property belongs to them.
A homeowner is a person who owns a home, whether an apartment or house. They may have fully paid for the home and own it outright, or they may still owe money for it: an individual who has a mortgage on a property is still regarded as the homeowner even if the mortgage has many years to run and much money is owed.
Homeowners do not have to reside in their properties: landlords are still homeowners even if they rent out their properties to other people.
Homeowners who have acquired their first home (whether outright or through a mortgage) are usually said to have taken their first step on the ‘housing ladder’. They are often referred to as 'first-time buyers', and a number of government schemes have been introduced in recent years to encourage and support their entry into the housing market.
It is also possible to be a homeowner jointly with other people (such as a partner) or through shared ownership schemes provided by housing associations, although this may be viewed by some as part-home ownership. Such schemes typically involve purchasing a share of a property (typically between 25%-75%). A mortgage is required for the share that is purchased, and rent is paid on the remainder.
The housing policies of the conservative Thatcher government of the 1980s were designed to increase home ownership throughout the UK and to decrease the number of households in rented accommodation. Owning your home was regarded by many conservatives as almost a basic right. Policies were therefore implemented to bring this about, such as ‘right to buy’ where council tenants were given the right to buy their homes from the local authority – often at prices that were well below market values.
More recently, the government’s ‘help to buy’ scheme is aimed at enabling first-time buyers get on the property ladder and become homeowners.
See also: Home ownership.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Affordable housing.
- Affordable rented housing.
- Buy to leave.
- Buy-to-let mortgage.
- Consumer Code for Home Builders.
- Fixing our broken housing market.
- Home design prospects under the Future Homes Standard.
- Housing associations.
- Housing tenure.
- How can I improve my kerb appeal?
- Intermediate housing.
- Real Estate Investment Trusts.
- Rent to buy.
- Right to buy.
- Right to rent.
- Scotland reaches homebuilding milestone in 2021.
- Section 106 agreements.
- Shared equity / Partnership mortgage.
- Shared ownership.
- Social housing.
- Social rented housing.
- What is a mortgage?
Featured articles and news
Building Safety Regulator reforms
New roles, new staff and a new fast track service pave the way for a single construction regulator.
Cooling centres and cool spaces
Managing extreme heat in cities by directing the public to places for heat stress relief and water sources.
Winter gardens: A brief history and warm variations
Extending the season with glass in different forms and terms.
Restoring Great Yarmouth's Winter Gardens
Transforming one of the least sustainable constructions imaginable.
Construction Skills Mission Board launch sector drive
Newly formed government and industry collaboration set strategy for recruiting an additional 100,000 construction workers a year.
New Architects Code comes into effect in September 2025
ARB Architects Code of Conduct and Practice available with ongoing consultation regarding guidance.
Welsh Skills Body (Medr) launches ambitious plan
The new skills body brings together funding and regulation of tertiary education and research for the devolved nation.
Paul Gandy FCIOB announced as next CIOB President
Former Tilbury Douglas CEO takes helm.
UK Infrastructure: A 10 Year Strategy. In brief with reactions
With the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA).
Ebenezer Howard: inventor of the garden city. Book review.
The Grenfell Tower fire, eight years on
A time to pause and reflect as Dubai tower block fire reported just before anniversary.
Airtightness Topic Guide BSRIA TG 27/2025
Explaining the basics of airtightness, what it is, why it's important, when it's required and how it's carried out.
Construction contract awards hit lowest point of 2025
Plummeting for second consecutive month, intensifying concerns for housing and infrastructure goals.
Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment 2025
Examining the state of mental health in construction, shedding light on levels of stress, anxiety and depression.
The benefits of engaging with insulation manufacturers
When considering ground floor constructions.
Lighting Industry endorses Blueprint for Electrification
The Lighting Industry Association fully supports the ECA Blueprint as a timely, urgent call to action.