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Unique Property Bulletin Ltd
Survey on Possibly Becoming
A Public Limited Company (PLC)
Level of Interest Survey
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This page is to help gauge our members, subscribers and readers interest in a Unique Property share issue prospectus to become a public limited company (plc). Please note this is NOT an invitation to subscribe to shares, but a survey to enable us to consider whether there is sufficient interest in a plc share issue for us to instruct the solicitors and accountants to proceed to a formal public share issue. The Unique Property Bulletin Ltd., will require to commit to approximately £7,500 legal/accountancy underwriting to even just begin the process. It would be folly to spend this amount of money if we were not reasonably comfortable that such a unique property share issue would stand a fair chance of success. A FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS section is reproduced further down the page to assist with some of the basic details.
At the present time, all we ask is for those interested in a unique property public limited company (plc) to advise whether:-
1] They would like to read a unique property public share issue prospectus?
2] If friends, colleagues and Bulletin readers were minded to join and subscribe – then at what ballpark figure would this be at? This is NOT mandatory nor obligatory commitment – just a number for guidance at this end. This is because there are certain critical mass elements to overcome the legal, accountancy, regulatory, compliance and administrative functions. There is also the thorny topic of moving from the not-for-profit model we have adhered to since launch in 1987 and require a more commercial shareholder dividend and profit approach.
Further information at our OFFSITE pages. Financial Conduct Authority regulations require certain PRIVATE LIMITED COMPANY matters to be kept private. Our natural default is to be as open and public about all elements, but the directors also require to be mindful of the law.
Answers please via the “Contact Form” below. Thank you – a BIG thank you as we are very close to pressing the “go” button for this project, and really just need to gauge the level of interest.
All you need do is give a brief survey response (click here). For example:-
1] Yes, and…
2] £5,000 (any amount from £500 to £25,000). These are minimum and maximum likely limits).
or
1] No, and…
2] Not applicable.
On the Contact Form “Subject + Message” line, please insert the words: UPS Survey, and then the answers to [1] and [2] Thankyou.
To Participate In This Survey Please
Click Here
We do know from our ongoing unique property email “alert” list that there are approximately 100 friends, readers, colleagues and previous unique property project participants interested in joining. However, progressing that interest into solid, asset backed unique property projects is another matter. Our hope is that those Bulletin readers who are kind enough to take the time and respond to this initial survey will help guide us as to whether a unique property public limited company share issue is a prudent thing to do.
Frequently Asked Questions
Proposed Unique Property Public Share Issue Prospectus.
1. Prospectus: First and foremost a plc prospectus must be read from cover to cover as it will contain the full detail required by the Financial Services legislation. Not to mention the information needed to assess the risks, assets, entry and exit routes etc. Prior to starting the full share issue we are studying whether the plc route is the best way to recommence the unique property projects of earlier years.
2. Subscription: Where does the money go? Initially to the solicitors/plc registrar. Strict rules govern what the inbound funds can be used for. After banking, the funds will require to be used for purchase of the candidate unique property.
3. No Mortgage – 100% Equity Driven: These rules for this particular plc will include the caveat that NO bank borrowing NOR mortgage debt shall be used in the purchase of the candidate property. The endeavour and asset purchase will be 100% equity driven. We have utilised this principle in all past projects and it has served us all well. In essence whatever else happens, the asset backed property bought by the company shall NOT be at risk of bank foreclosure.
4. Professional Fees: The ONLY deduction from the INBOUND funds shall be for solicitor; accountancy; audit; company registration; RICS Survey costs. We estimate these professional costs for the full year to be £7,500 (excluding auction resale fees which will be deducted from the end profit element).
5. Asset Purchase: ALL of the majority inbound funds will be used to purchase the candidate property. There will be a contingency therein to make any given property safe and secure, but for the avoidance of doubt the company will NOT be embarking upon a restoration project. These can be costly and often present an unknown or unquantifiable risk. The asset will be bought in, and then marketed fully to seek an onward sale at a respectable profit level.
6. Management: The Unique Property Bulletin Ltd., will underwrite all plc formation costs etc. Even in the event that the plc does not reach the minimum required subscription to get properly started, the Unique Property Bulletin Ltd., will pay the accrued fees incurred to that point. In that event ALL subscribers will receive 100% of their fund back without any costs deduction. However, if all goes according to plan, and the plc share issue reaches the minimum level of subscription required, the project will require to be managed. After 24 previous unique property projects the Unique Property Bulletin Ltd., have a reasonable experience of this. For example, solicitor’s statements: Click Here. In addition, Unique Property Bulletin drivers also have experience in maximising resale publicity through national media. For example: Click Here. Therefore, in recompense, and ONLY if a profit is made, then the Unique Property Bulletin Ltd., shall be paid 10% of the NET profit from the resale of the candidate property, plus reimbursement of disbursements such as insurance for the candidate property along with electricity, business rates/council tax, water rates and other costs incurred to the account of the unique property project asset. At the end-point of the project there may also be a possibility of auction resale fees which will be to the final account of the ringfenced fund within the plc.
7. Minimum Overall Subscription: It is unlikely that we will progress with a Unique Property plc without there being a minimum defined subscriptions. The £7,500 cost of running a plc would make it relatively uneconomic in the experience of the initial subscribers to this effort at a figure less than £125,000. There is no maximum set at present. From past experience we are likely to secure a ballpark figure of between £250,000 and £400,000 is where any given project would be viable. By that it would clear the plc costs for the duration needed per project.
8. Individual Subscription: The guide per person (or limited company) will be from £500 to a maximum of £25,000 per person subscribing (above £25,000 please contact the share issue registrar prior to so doing. Thank you).
9. Timeframe: Initial unique property projects in the 1990s started out at 4 to 6 month timeframe from start to finish. After a few of these projects we managed to bring this down to 3 months. Though the vagaries of the actual inbound and outbound conveyance render it difficult to shorten this timeframe to less than 3 months. Also some projects have taken longer than the norm. Therefore we believe the first of the rebooted projects in plc format would be between 6 and 12 months from start to finish.
10. Exit Route: Most likely via a “dividend” on resale of the candidate property will be paid directly to the members/plc shareholders. Though advice from the accountants will be taken as to the most tax efficient way to manage the disbursement of shareholder funds on sale of the unique property owned by the project. The final distribution of sale funds will be on a pro rata basis directly in proportion to the percentage share of the unique property project that each member originally subscribed to.
11. Voting: Normal company voting procedures will apply. All shares will be “ordinary”. There will be NO “preference” shares. Therefore the voting will be on an equitable basis. Simple majority of 51% carries if/when a vote is required. The day to day running of Unique Property plc will be at the discretion and control of the company directors and subject where required to the advice of the project solicitors, accountants, auditors, surveyors and auctioneers.
12. Risk: There are no guarantees in life. Prospective subscribers will need to take a measured view upon reading the full Unique Property plc share issue prospectus. It is the view of the initial subscribers that an asset backed share issue with no mortgage/debt minimises risk in as much as this can be ameliorated. Our aim shall be to market the candidate property in a way that it has previously not been managed.
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Alternatively communications via old fashioned Royal Mail works as well:-
Unique Property Bulletin Ltd., Abbey Studios Business Centre,
280 High Street, Arbroath, Angus, DD11 1JF.
186,399 Readers
The more accurate figure ranges between 40,000 and 100,000. During the part-sabbatical when the volunteers were fundraising to buy a dedicated premises for this publication so the rental from the spare parts of the property can be utilised to employ editorial staff and avoid volunteer burnout, we had to temporarily reduce site content. This meant readership steadied at around 25,000 per month. But we do know that once the Unique Property Bulletin is relaunched, the readership levels are out there and we anticipate between 100,000 to 200,000 readers per month.
Hence this research paper on whether we should consider becoming a public limited company (plc) again.
