REITs

What is a REIT?

A REIT is a company that owns and manages property on behalf of shareholders. A REIT can contain commercial and/or residential property. REITs provide a way for investors to access property assets without having to buy property directly. In the UK, REITs can apply for ‘UK-REIT’ status, which exempts the company from corporate tax.

Attaining UK-REIT status removes the potential for “double taxation” at both the corporate and the investor level and is intended to help align returns from property help within REIT structures with that held directly.

The introduction of a UK-REIT regime, combined with the traditional strengths of London’s capital markets, has created opportunities for the growth of the property investment sector. A UK-REIT enjoys all the benefits of any other company listed on the Main Market, in addition to the advantages outlined below. The introduction of UK-REITs gives investors wider opportunities for accessing an important alternative class.

Want to know more?

The London Stock Exchange is a member of The REITs and Quoted Property Group ("Reita").  To find out which companies intend to become UK-REITs, see Reita's website.

Downloads

How to qualify as a UK-REIT (file pdf - 145 KB)
The Listing Rules for UK-REITs (file pdf - 145 KB)
Tax related issues for UK-REITs (file pdf - 270 KB)
Reita - Quarterly property investment update (file pdf - 55 KB)