Title Splits
Buy a multi-unit building held on one title (often at a block discount), then legally divide it into separate titles so each unit can be sold or refinanced individually — the sum of the parts exceeds the whole.
Typical ROI
High on capital (uplift-driven)
Timeline
6 to 18 months
Difficulty
Medium – High
Key metric
Value uplift per unit
Strategy overview
- Acquire a block of flats or converted house on a single freehold title
- Create individual long leases for each unit
- Register separate titles
- Sell or refinance units individually to realise the uplift
Advantages
- Value created through legal restructuring, not heavy construction
- Unlocks a higher aggregate value than the block sale price
- Flexible exits — sell some, refinance and hold others
- Often low-refurb, so lower build risk
Considerations
- Legal and conveyancing complexity — a strong property solicitor is essential
- Lender restrictions and lease-drafting requirements
- Units usually need to be self-contained (or works to make them so)
- Existing tenancies and use-class position must be checked
- Timeline driven by legal process, not construction
Funding options
Bridging finance
To buy the block, split it, then refinance out.
Single facility, multiple unitsCommercial mortgage
Term debt secured against the whole asset pre-split.
Bridges the pre-split periodBTL mortgages per unit
Individual mortgages once the split is registered.
Capital recycled per unitIdeal property profile
- Blocks of flats sold as a single lot at a block discount
- Houses already converted into self-contained flats but on one title
- Units with separate access and independent services
- Situations where individual-unit comparables clearly exceed the block price