In a recent study into Britain’s largest landowners, ABC Finance Ltd has uncovered who really owns the UK.

Owning a lucrative property portfolio has become a dream for many people in the UK. This is unsurprising as the returns on savvy investments can be substantial. As of the start of 2018, there were upwards of 750,000 property millionaires in Britain but even they can’t hold a candle to the largest overall landholders.

The UK is made up of approximately 60 million acres. The top 50 landowners currently own 7.3 million acres combined which equates to over 12% of Britain’s landmass.

So, who are these people and companies that own so much of the UK?

While many people assume that the Royal Family have the largest land holdings, in reality, charitable organizations like the Forestry Commission and National Trust own the most land in the UK.

To put this in perspective, land owned by charitable organizations makes up 5.4% of Britain’s entire area. The Forestry Commission alone owns 4x the landmass of the Lake District while the National Trust’s land could comfortably fit the entire island of Tenerife.

This isn’t to say that the Royals are stuck for space. The Crown Estate owns more land in the UK than makes up the nation of Luxembourg and the holdings in Queen Elizabeth’s personal portfolio could fit Buckingham Palace 1,000x over.

Then we have the British Military, who own a substantial amount of land, set aside for the “defence of the realm”. Both the MOD and the Royal Artillery Company made the top 50 landowner list with combined holdings of almost 1.2 million acres – around 2% of the UK.

Interestingly, the group that claims fourth place in the land ownership leaderboard is made up of foreign business moguls and royalty, such as retail mogul Anders Holch Povlsen and Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum. In fact, the amount of land owned by foreign interests (562,285 acres) could be used to construct 23 million average-sized UK homes.

Further down the list sit the UK’s utility companies including Severn Trent and United Utilities. The companies that have made the property rich list are involved in water supply and mining, with enough land between them to fit Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham twice.

These are followed by British entrepreneurs and large business owners, such as Sir James Dyson, who personally owns enough land to fit 3,000 Wembley Stadiums. Altogether, these captains of industry control an equivalent amount of real estate to The Channel Islands and The Isle of Man combined.

At the bottom of the land ownership rankings sits a selection of property developers, with Homes England, Taylor Wimpey and the Haworth Group making an appearance in the top 50 with overall holdings of 55,003 acres.

The remaining notable landowners include the Church of England (105,000 acres) and Oxford University’s Merton College which, as a stand-alone campus, owns enough land to fit the entire city of Oxford.

A bridging loan is very different from a standard bank loan, but how so? Financing expert at ABC Finance, Gary Hemming explains the ins and outs of a bridging loan for Finance Monthly.

A bridging loan is a type of short term property backed finance. They are often used to fund you for a period of time whilst allowing you to either refinance to longer term debt or sell a property. Finding a bridging loan can be difficult, but leading online comparison sites can help you compare types of loan and the best loan for you and your needs.

Bridging loans are usually offered for between 1-18 months, with the loan repayable in full at the end of the term. Unlike other forms of borrowing the monthly interest is often rolled into the loan, meaning there are no repayments to make during the term of the loan.

The application process is usually far simpler than for other types of borrowing and applications can complete very quickly, usually in 5-14 days.

Bridging finance can be offered against almost any property or land and can be used for a number of different reasons. The main uses are:

• Purchasing a property quickly – such as auction purchases
• Buying uninhabitable property
• Funding property restoration or conversion work
• Repossession prevention
• Buying property under market value

Other than that, it can be used to secure the end life of seniors by buying senior life insurance policy. Such policy can be found in Seniors Life Insurance Finder.

The pros and cons of bridging loans

Bridging loans are undoubtably a very useful tool when looking to raise finance, but they can be riskier than other forms of finance. As such, it’s important to carefully consider your options before proceeding and specialist advice is always recommended. There are a number of pros and cons to consider before committing to a loan and online jobs for college students.

Pros

• Applications are usually completed in under 14 days, making them ideal when funds are needed quickly.
• As there are often no monthly repayments to make, bridging finance can be used to raise capital where cash flow is tight, but you have the assets to comfortably repay the loan.
• The bridging market is very competitive, and this is leading to a reduction in interest rates. With rates starting from as little as 0.37% per month, bridging finance has never been cheaper.
• Where properties are being purchased under value, lending can often be based on the full value of the property, meaning it’s possible to purchase a property without a deposit.
• Bridging loans can be used to purchase properties that would be ineligible for borrowing using other types of borrowing, such as property that is not habitable.

Cons

• Bridging loans are more expensive than traditional mortgages. Although rates are dropping, traditional mortgages are still by far the most economical option for most property transactions.
• As most loans are very short term, if you have problems with your chosen method of repayment, you can face major issues. Failure to repay the loan at the end of the term would eventually lead to repossession, and most likely significant costs.

Things to consider before taking out a bridging loan

There are a number of key things to consider before taking out a bridging loan, taking the time to consider:

Always Consider Total Cost

When comparing products from different providers, always consider the total cost of the loan, rather than just the interest rate. People often chase the lowest interest rate, but many lenders will charge large exit fees, fund management fees and other ‘hidden’ costs.

Always ask for a breakdown of the total cost of taking the loan before proceeding as this makes it much easier to compare different providers.

Is Your Repayment Method Viable?

The main danger when taking out a bridging loan is that you will be unable to repay the loan at the end of the term. Always consider how the loan will be repaid upfront and make sure the proposed exit is viable.

If you’re planning to sell your property, make sure the term of the loan gives you sufficient time to find a buyer and for the sale to complete. If you’re forced to pursue a quick sale, you could end up receiving far less for your property than you would like.

If you plan to refinance onto a longer-term loan, you should check that your application is likely to be accepted. Where possible, aim to get an agreement in principle from your chosen lender before completing on your bridging loan.

Am I Getting the Best Possible Deal

The difference in cost between different providers can be significant. In addition, some lenders can only be accessed through a limited number of brokers, meaning you may not be able to access the lowest rates.

By checking with 2-3 providers, you will give yourself the best possible chance of securing the best deal.