Can I rent from myself?

This is quite normal. There can be sound commercial reasons for doing this eg the potential to keep assets out of the operating business and out of the reach of creditors of the operating business.

Provided that the lessor and the lessee are separate entities, there should be no issues.

Conversely, if a tenant was to purchase a property in the same name as appears on the lease, the lease is extinguished.

USE A COMPLETELY SEPARATE ENTITY

I have 2 clients at the moment that are under external administration and them not using separate entities for business premises has cost them a fortune, one example below.  I am rather opinionated about this but that has come from having grown men crying in my office because they have lost everything they have built up because of either bad advice or, even worse, they had good advice and ignored it to save a couple of grand on the way in.  It is definitely worse for the people who were told and tried to save money as they know a big part of their loss is due directly to their own actions.

Example

Client's successful business owned through Pty Ltd that also owns the premises.  Client has never missed a loan payment, (this bank is divesting some of its commercial loan portfolio and is revaluing a lot of properties at present) but bank has revalued the premises and it has decreased and therefore breached the the loan covenants.  Bank sends a letter and says you are in breach you have 14 days to refinance the loan or we put you under administration.  Premises value is down and can't refinance in that time (loan on premises is $7m).  Administrators sent in.  Administrator fees are clocking up fast, Business owner who built this up from nothing is now trying to find external funding to buy just the business (his equity in the premises will be gone through fees) from his own company.  He may have to walk away completely and be left with the crumbs after everything is paid off, the bank gets their money, real estate agents fees, administrators fees etc.  Had there been separate entities only the premises entity would be under administration and his business would be fine.

I would NEVER NEVER (unless you are looking at being a listed property trust) use anything but a stand alone entity for each commercial property.  Depending on the owner/controlling situation depends on the type of situation.  You can cover any sort of arrangement through related party loan agreements etc if structured properly.

I go further and recommend that you utilise an overall structure, with your equity sequestered in a non trading/non-investing trust or then makes secured loans to other entities.  If not set up properly it provides little protection, if setup properly you can go personally bankrupt and still come out the other end.

Darryl

Hi Terry

Not good.  I have seen some shocking advice given to people.  

How does buying the your house in the company that also owns the business and then renting it from them sound.  

It is when you are dealing with liquidations, administrations and bankruptcy that you really see the benefit of asset protection advice.  

Any chance you could offer some wisdom in my thread on innovative business structures that is on that other forum.  Would love to see what you have to say.

regards

D

  Wow you guys are really generous with your knowledge.  I thought I knew a lot.  Seems I have much more to learn.