Home  /  Insights  /  Business & Corporate Services
Business & Corporate Services  

Buying a Business With Property in the UK: What to Check

Value the business and the bricks separately.

Buying a Business With Property in the UK: What to Check Business & Corporate Services

Updated October 2026 · Fraser Bond

Business · Acquisitions

Buying a business with property

Freeholdor lease
Valuesplit
Leaseassignment
VATTOGC
In short: When a business is sold with its premises, value the trading business and the property separately: a strong freehold can hide a weak business, and vice versa. If the premises are leased, check the lease length, rent, repairing obligations and whether the landlord will consent to assignment. Do financial, legal and property due diligence, and check VAT treatment (a transfer of a going concern may avoid VAT). Lenders often finance property more readily than goodwill. Fraser Bond advises on the London premises side.

Frequently asked questions

Should I buy the freehold too?

It gives control, but needs more capital.

Can Fraser Bond value the premises?

Yes, in London.

Buying premises?

Talk to our team or get a free valuation.

Speak to our teamGet a free valuation

Related guides

Next step

You are one message away from an answer.

If you have a question

Send it to us and get a straight answer.

Describe the property and the problem. We will tell you what we would do, what it should cost, and if we are not the right people, who is.

  • Replies the same working day
  • The person who answers is the person who handles it
  • No fee, and no obligation to instruct us
If you are looking for a property

See everything we are instructed on.

Sales and lettings across Prime Central London and the wider UK, with the same team behind every listing.

  • Residential and commercial in one search
  • Filter by borough, budget and size
  • Register once and we will send matches first