# Small business purchasing residential property in city centre to function as an office



## maximus14 (18 Feb 2022)

Hi there, 
Can someone clarify if there are any options for a small business (1-2 people) to purchase a small residential property in the city centre in close proximity to other commerical units and utilise it as an office for the business?
I understand planning would be required to convert the property to commercial use or are there any scenarios where it could be an option without dealing with planning hurdles. 
Looking at options for not having to pay rent in current office and purchasing an investment for the compony with a view to potentially purchasing it from the company to move into at retirement age.
Many thanks.
M


----------



## Leo (18 Feb 2022)

You can have an office in a residential building, but the commercial use has to be secondary to the residential and the volume of callers to the office would need to be low so as to not interfere with the neighbours. If no one is going to live in it, you will need to obtain planning to use it as an office, no way around that. Check the local development plan to see the zoning for the area to give you a sense on how amenable the LA would be to such an application.

With that, you run the risk of not being able to switch it back to residential use when retirement comes.


----------



## Brendan Burgess (18 Feb 2022)

maximus14 said:


> purchasing an investment for the compony with a view to potentially purchasing it from the company to move into at retirement age.



Some people try to make life really really complicated.  And then in retirement wonder how on earth they can disentangle all this.

1) If you don't want to pay rent, then you buy an office property in your own names and rent it to the company. Don't buy it through the company.
2) Buy an office property not a residential property.
3) When you are retired buy a suitable property to meet your residential needs at that stage. 

If you don't already own your own home, then forget about buying an office building.  Buy a home to live in and continue renting your office space.  When your mortgage is greatly reduced and your have some money, then buy an office. 

Brendan


----------



## tandcapply (8 Jun 2022)

Brendan Burgess said:


> Some people try to make life really really complicated.  And then in retirement wonder how on earth they can disentangle all this.
> 
> 1) If you don't want to pay rent, then you buy an office property in your own names and rent it to the company. Don't buy it through the company.
> 2) Buy an office property not a residential property.
> ...


Can you buy a commercial property privately and rent it out to a LTD company you're a director of?


----------



## jpd (8 Jun 2022)

Yes


----------



## peemac (9 Jun 2022)

tandcapply said:


> Can you buy a commercial property privately and rent it out to a LTD company you're a director of?


Yes you can if it's a private purchase.

However if you buy it through a pension you cannot rent it to your own company.


----------

