Title, Leases and Freehold Management

Splitting, leaseholds, service charges and getting the structure right

Whether a block keeps the value your appraisal found depends on its legal structure, and this book explains that structure in plain English. It describes a multi-unit freehold as one title at HM Land Registry containing several homes, and covers the permissions, licensing and planning that govern how you may use it. You will see the two families of contract in a block and which one matters for the structure you choose, and why poorly drafted leases can knock value off every unit. The book covers recovering the costs of running the building, the heavier safety and insurance duties of a freeholder, and the tax and entity decisions to settle with an accountant before you complete. It ends with a working compliance checklist and the consequences of getting the structure wrong, from costs you cannot recover to a title you cannot split when you want to refinance or sell. Next in this series: “The Block Portfolio”.

What’s inside

• The legal framework in plain English
• Permissions, licensing and planning
• The contracts, and what must be inside them
• Insurance, safety and your legal duties
• Tax treatment and choosing a structure
• Your compliance checklist
• Getting this wrong: what it actually costs

Educational material only, not financial, legal or tax advice. Results are not typical and are not a guarantee of income. Freedom Property Academy LTD, registered in England and Wales.