Guidance
Transfer charity land or property to the Official Custodian
How to ask the Official Custodian for Charities to hold the title to your charity's land on your behalf.
Applies to England and Wales
About the Official Custodian for Charities
Charity property must be registered in someone’s name. If your charity isn’t a company or CIO, it isn’t a ‘legal entity’ and can’t hold title itself.
Instead of registering land in your trustees’ names, you can transfer it to the Official Custodian for Charities – a free service that holds your land constantly in the same name regardless of who your trustees are. This is also known as ‘vesting’ land.
Apply to transfer charity land to the Official Custodian
You will need to provide:
- your registered charity number
- clear evidence that your charity owns the property
- details of the property you want the Official Custodian to hold on behalf of your charity
- HM Land Registry number if there is one
- if it isn’t registered with HM Land Registry, a full description of the land or property including the postal address (if applicable)
It is an offence under section 60(1)(b) of the Charities Act 2011 to knowingly or recklessly provide false or misleading information.