Home // Insights & Events // Learn about your real estate (and what we/it could do for you)
Educational establishments – schools, colleges and universities – own, occupy and use real estate. Independent schools, colleges and universities may have owned their lands for centuries, with their estates growing piecemeal over the years. Properties may be investments, unused or occupied for educational purposes, and far away from the owning establishment.
Managing real estate can deflect the stakeholders in the school, college or university from their core business of education, but if managed properly, these assets can create additional revenue for the school. We work with our educational clients to make sure they have the information they need about their properties, to address any issues and to devise strategies to maximise any return from property which the establishment does not use for education.
We can, for example:
The starting point may be simply identifying the property you own. It is not uncommon for pieces of land to be forgotten, especially if not used on a regular basis. In a previous article
‘Three common property issues frequently affecting the education sector‘ we discussed some of the problems that can arise in relation to boundaries, rights of way and easement issues over land which are not in constant use by staff or pupils.
We review and check titles and, if necessary, deal with first registration of any unregistered land at the Land Registry. The title check may identify any restrictions affecting or benefiting the property which might be relevant should either you or an adjoining owner wish to carry out a development.
Schools have safeguarding obligations. These obligations might be affected by real estate title issues such as a public right of way or rights to access a public playing field. We can work with you to consider the nature of the rights, whether they can be limited and/or to negotiate a more suitable and safer alternative with the beneficiaries of the rights.
You may not be using all your property on a regular basis or at all. We work with you to identify possibilities for those properties on a long term or short-term basis, to identify possible income streams or even to benefit your local communities.
If property is no longer required and your constitution allows, we can discuss with you and your agent, the possibilities of obtaining planning permission and developing and/or selling the land with the possibility of entering into a protective overage agreement to ensure you benefit from any future enhancement of value in the land.
Looking to get to grips with your real estate portfolio? Please get in touch with our Real Estate team today, we would be delighted to assist you.
This update is for general purposes and guidance only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. You should seek legal advice before relying on its content. Greenwoods Legal LLP is a Limited Liability Partnership, registered in England, registered number OC306912. Our registered office is Queens House, 55-56 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3LJ. A list of the members’ names is available for inspection at our offices in Peterborough, Cambridge and London. Authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, SRA number 401162. Details of the Solicitors’ Codes of Conduct can be found at www.sra.org.uk. All instructions accepted by Greenwoods Legal LLP are subject to our current Terms of Business. VAT Reg No: 161 9287 89.
Get in touch with us (*Required fields)
Sign up to updates (*Required fields)