UNPUBLISHED DRAFT : PENDING REVIEW
Main points
- The Investor Showcase will take place online via Zoom on Sunday 20 September 2026.
- The headline time is 4:00 pm GMT, which is 5:00 pm UK local time (BST) in September.
- The event is intended to understand investor requirements before suitable opportunities are discussed.
- Realty Packaging will not automatically match attendees with a property or imply that a property will be offered.
- The discussion will focus on UK commercial mixed-use properties with ground-floor commercial accommodation and residential or other upper parts.
- Any property figures will be identified as source-reported, provisional or illustrative.
- Registration is available by emailing support@realtypackaging.co.uk.
Investor Showcase details
Date: Sunday 20 September 2026
Time: 4:00 pm GMT headline time / 5:00 pm UK local time (BST)
Format: Online via Zoom
Registration: Email support@realtypackaging.co.uk
Joining details: Supplied after registration
The Showcase is a discussion and qualification event. Its purpose is to establish what investors are looking for before suitable UK commercial mixed-use opportunities are considered.
Investors should not treat attendance as a property offer, valuation, recommendation or commitment to provide a particular opportunity. Property discussions will depend on availability, verification, investor suitability and independent due diligence.
Why investor requirements matter
Commercial property investment objectives differ between investors. Some prioritise current income. Others are prepared to accept a longer period of work or lower initial income in exchange for potential capital growth.
The Showcase will ask investors about:
- Preferred location and geography
- Investment size and available deposit or equity
- Income and capital growth priorities
- Preferred tenant type and covenant strength
- Appetite for refurbishment, planning or development work
- Intended investment timeframe
- Preferred ownership and finance structure
- Risk tolerance and desired level of involvement
These requirements affect the type of property that may be relevant. For example, a vacant upper floor may suit an investor with development experience, but not an investor seeking immediate passing income. A property with a longer commercial lease may suit an income-focused investor, while another investor may prefer shorter leases with potential for rent review or restructuring.
The purpose of the discussion is to clarify these factors. It is not to promise an automatic match.
What “shop and upper” means
A shop-and-upper property usually contains commercial accommodation at ground-floor level and residential or other accommodation above it. The property may be held as one freehold, or the parts may have different legal and occupational arrangements.
The structure can provide two potential income sources:
- Commercial rent from the ground-floor unit.
- Residential or other rent from the upper parts.
There may also be value-add options. These could include refurbishment, re-letting, improving access, regularising use, or securing planning permission. Each option requires property-specific assessment.
Two income sources do not guarantee resilience. Results can be affected by vacancy, arrears, tenant quality, rent levels, repairs, planning, financing, regulatory compliance and market conditions. The commercial and upper parts may also have different management requirements, insurance arrangements and compliance duties.
Realty Packaging focuses on identifying and delivering UK commercial property investment and development projects through mixed-use property, particularly shop-and-upper assets in London. The company’s focus is on opportunities with potential for lower risk and higher returns. This is a strategy focus, not a guarantee.
The four due-diligence pillars
1. Lease structures
The review should establish how the property is owned, occupied and managed. Relevant documents and issues may include:
- Title, tenure and ownership
- Commercial leases and any occupational agreements
- Assured shorthold tenancies, where relevant
- Rent schedules and passing rent
- Rent review dates and mechanisms
- Break clauses and renewal rights
- Repairing obligations
- Insurance responsibilities
- Service charge arrangements
- Rights, easements and access
- Tenant covenant strength and payment history
The headline rent is not sufficient. Investors should understand the lease term, obligations, incentives, arrears position and likely costs when assessing income.
2. Planning permissions
The planning position should be checked against both the existing use and any proposed changes. This may include:
- Lawful existing use
- Planning history
- Current permissions and conditions
- Proposed conversion or refurbishment
- Permitted development and Class MA or other relevant rights
- Article 4 directions
- Building regulations
- Licensing requirements
- Restrictive covenants
- Community Infrastructure Levy
- Section 106 obligations
Planning permission does not remove the need to check building regulations, licensing, title restrictions or practical delivery. Planning documents and conditions require independent verification.
3. Building condition
A building survey should consider the condition and likely capital expenditure of the asset. Relevant items may include:
- Roof and structure
- Damp and drainage
- Water, electrical and heating services
- Fire separation and escape arrangements
- Independent access
- Asbestos
- Mechanical and electrical systems
- Energy performance requirements
- Works needed to meet EPC-related obligations
- Planned and unplanned capital expenditure
Conversion potential should not be assumed from floor area alone. Layout, access, services, fire strategy, natural light and construction cost may determine whether a proposal is practical.
4. Operational compliance
Operational review may cover:
- EPC and Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards
- Fire safety
- Gas and electrical safety
- Licensing
- Insurance
- Business rates
- Council tax
- Waste arrangements
- Tenant management
- Repair reporting
- Access and maintenance responsibilities
These matters can affect income, financeability, legal compliance and future saleability.
Financial analysis and downside screening
Initial screening may examine:
- Purchase price
- Current or passing rent
- Potential rent, where independently supported
- Gross yield
- Finance assumptions
- Cash flow
- Deposit and equity requirements
- A “true-return” or cash-on-deposit presentation metric
Any metric should be read in context. Property-specific, advertised, source-reported or illustrative figures are not forecasts, net returns, internal rates of return, valuations or guarantees.
Downside analysis should consider:
- Voids and delayed letting
- Rent arrears
- Tenant failure
- Interest-rate changes
- Refinancing risk
- Repairs and capital expenditure
- Taxes and transaction costs
- Legal or planning problems
- Lower achievable rents
- Lower exit value
- Delayed conversion or refurbishment
- Insurance and compliance costs
Gross Development Value and residual land value should be treated as hypothetical unless supported by planning, design, cost plans, finance terms and comparable evidence.
Ownership structures and tax-aware strategies
Investors should consider ownership and finance structure before making an offer. Common options may include personal ownership, a limited company, an LLP, joint venture arrangements or combinations of debt and equity.
A limited company is a separate legal entity. It may provide a framework for retaining profits and reinvesting, but investors must consider corporation tax, extraction of funds, lending terms, guarantees, administration and personal circumstances.
An LLP is generally tax transparent, with profits normally allocated to its members. It can support arrangements between multiple investors, but partnership agreements, profit shares, liabilities, SDLT treatment and individual tax positions require professional review.
Neither structure is suitable in every case. The correct structure depends on the investor’s objectives, residence, existing portfolio, financing, succession plans and tax position.
Tax-advantaged or tax-aware strategies may include:
- Identifying qualifying plant and machinery fixtures
- Considering capital allowances on eligible expenditure
- Reviewing whether Structures and Buildings Allowance may apply to qualifying non-residential construction, conversion or renovation expenditure
- Reviewing available ownership and pension-related arrangements where relevant
- Planning the timing and funding of acquisition, works and refinancing
Capital allowances are subject to statutory conditions. Fixtures, building fabric, residential areas and commercial areas may receive different treatment. Buyers may need evidence of previous pooling, a valid section 198 election or an allowances statement. Tax treatment should be confirmed with a qualified adviser.
Useful official guidance includes HMRC capital allowances guidance, Structures and Buildings Allowance guidance and HMRC guidance on corporate bodies and SDLT.
Illustrative opportunity: 154 High Street, Orpington
The Orpington investment report is included only as an illustration of the type of opportunity that may be discussed.
The source-reported and provisional information states:
- Address: 154 High Street, Orpington, BR6 0JR
- Property: Freehold mid-terrace mixed-use building with ground-floor retail and upper parts
- Approximate size: 165.36 m² / 1,780 sq ft
- Price: Around £550,000
- Commercial income: Reported rent of £25,500 per annum from a nail business under a reported new 15-year lease
- Upper parts: Reported vacant
- Planning: Permission reportedly approved in November 2025 under reference 25/03987/FPA for two self-contained one-bedroom flats
- Construction: Reported as not started
The report gives an estimated residential rent of £1,400 per month per flat, or £33,600 per annum in total. Combined potential income is stated as £59,100 per annum, producing an indicative gross yield of approximately 10.75% against a price of £550,000.
This is a potential post-conversion scenario. It is not current income. It excludes conversion costs, professional fees, taxes, voids, maintenance and operating costs. Planning permission, conditions, title, lease terms, construction requirements, rents and all other information require independent verification.
The property should not be treated as currently available unless confirmed directly.
Previous reference: 19 Station Avenue, Caterham
19 Station Avenue, Caterham, CR3 6LB may be referred to as a previous or illustrative mixed-use opportunity reference.
This draft does not include a price, income, yield, tenure, planning position or availability for the address. There is no verified property-specific canonical live report link available for this address in this draft.
Readers must contact support@realtypackaging.co.uk or visit www.realtypackaging.co.uk to confirm the current source and particulars before relying on the reference.
Questions to consider before attending
Investors should consider:
- Which locations are acceptable?
- What deposit or equity is available?
- Is immediate income required?
- Is capital growth a priority?
- Which tenant types are preferred?
- What covenant strength is required?
- Is refurbishment acceptable?
- Is planning or development work acceptable?
- What investment period is intended?
- Should the property be owned personally, through a company or through an LLP?
- What level of debt is acceptable?
- How much involvement is preferred?
- What risks would make an opportunity unsuitable?
How to register
To register:
- Email support@realtypackaging.co.uk.
- State that you wish to attend the Investor Showcase.
- Include your preferred investment location, approximate budget, equity position and investment objectives.
- Await confirmation and Zoom joining details.
The Showcase is intended for serious investors, professional networks, expat groups and international investors seeking a structured discussion about entry into the UK commercial property market.
Disclaimer
This article and the Investor Showcase are provided for information and discussion only. They are not financial, tax, legal, pension, mortgage or investment advice. They are not an offer, valuation or recommendation. Returns are not guaranteed.
All property, income, financing, planning, compliance, condition, tax and market information requires independent verification. Investors must obtain their own advice from appropriately qualified financial, tax, legal, planning, building and mortgage professionals before making any decision.
Realty Packaging does not claim FCA authorisation or status in this article.
For registration and further information, contact support@realtypackaging.co.uk or visit https://www.realtypackaging.co.uk.