Providing HM customs ownership documentation for a property

Will Gill · 24 Jan 2021 at 14:45

Anyone got any experience with applying for a first registration document? Not sure why HM customs has chosen to request this now, part of me a bit worried someone has discovered it's an unregistered property and is chancing their arm (is this possible?)

The property itself has been standing for ~100 years and passed down throughout the years from family to family and then business to business, at no point has anyone ever had any deeds to reflect this. All rather worrying as it's a rather valuable property.

Will Gill · 24 Jan 2021 at 15:47

Will Gill · 24 Jan 2021 at 16:43

Surveyor said:
It'll be with a view to assessing the property for non-domestic rates.

thanks

I get that, but they want documents we don't have, any idea how we go about getting them and what the process might entail?

Will Gill · 24 Jan 2021 at 16:51

Surveyor said:
Have you been online to see what they require? Are they asking for documents or just ownership details like a name and address?

Yep they are requesting the same three docs as in the letter rent,lease or ownership documents.

Will Gill · 24 Jan 2021 at 17:08

~Mike~ said:
You answer questions on the online form, I've never sent them any documents.

You might need the documents to answer some of the questions eg. if you lease the building they ask various questions regarding your rent etc (when it started, last rent review and so on).

It's correct, same number as on my form

I filled out all the normal details, i.e. my details, tenant details (we have two in the building as well as our business), dates of tenancy/ownership etc.. but this year they have come back asking for documents to prove our 'claims'

Will Gill · 24 Jan 2021 at 18:44

~Mike~ said:
Ah I see, so you don't have any ownership documents for the property? Do you have written leases/agreements with your tenants or are they not in writing/verbal agreements?

Yep got decent drawn up legally produced contracts for both the flat and the restaurant

Maccapacca said:
May be someone is trying to claim the covid grant and they don’t believe the number of tenants or sub divisions or it isn’t rated and they are now trying to get rated to claim the grant.

When I spoke to my local office last April they suddenly had hundreds of people rushing to register at a business address so they could claim the grant. The assumption being that if under sbrr they wouldn’t pay rates anyway so never bothered registering.

Ah yeah we have indeed claimed the relevant grants from the gvmt and will carry on doing so

Will Gill · 24 Jan 2021 at 20:00

Skillmister said:
How do you have no ownership documentation/deeds? What is your ownership/occupation of the property based off? If it's been passed between families/businesses it still needs to be transferred/assented.

No idea, but it started off as a fish drying shed and has expanded into a three storey building, probably the largest in the village. I guess we can prove who it was passed from and to over a decent amount of time. The building has never actually belonged to anyone though, it was gifted to the village community.

All rather cornish