# Question For UK Dopers Who Are In The Know. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 22, 2003, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-uk-dopers-who-are-in-the-know/203116 "2003-09-22T16:15:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-uk-dopers-who-are-in-the-know/203116/21 "2003-09-23T12:08:34Z")
Actually, **Desmostylus** , you must have seen [Alistair Darling](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/1179283.stm). It’s an understandable mistake to make. ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-uk-dopers-who-are-in-the-know/203116/22 "2003-09-23T12:19:07Z")
Never trust a friggin’ badger. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![spogga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ab097/32.png) [@spogga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spogga)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-uk-dopers-who-are-in-the-know/203116/23 "2003-09-23T12:19:29Z")
HAMMOS1: Window? what’s a window? ---
**Author:** ![Bromley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@Bromley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bromley)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-uk-dopers-who-are-in-the-know/203116/24 "2003-09-23T12:33:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > \*\*Yeah, I was slightly wrong in emphasis. _Some_ houses are leasehold, but it’s unusual. \*\* Also, I believe that there’s legislation that can be used to force a sale of the Freehold from the Freeholder to a company owned by the Leaseholders. I actually need to research this myself some time, but here’s a [cite](http://www.lease-advice.org/cegsframe.htm). ---
**Author:** ![tirial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac91a4/32.png) [@tirial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tirial)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-uk-dopers-who-are-in-the-know/203116/25 "2003-09-23T13:55:15Z")
Just another voice chiming in to say it is definitely possible for anyone to buy stocks and shares. Tansu said: > [@](#): > > Yes, we also own property freehold. Almost all flats are leasehold and most houses are freehold. Just a quick note on land ownership: flats aren’t always leasehold, since they can be bought with shared freehold. (The flat itself is on a nominal lease from an association which owns the building, but the flat owner actually owns a share of the land beneath the block, and is automatically a member of the association. ) Further to what Bromley said, I don’t know if this can be legally forced through though, as the cases I encountered were simply the association buying the land off the previous owner. ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-uk-dopers-who-are-in-the-know/203116/26 "2003-09-23T14:23:50Z")
Land and property is held in what’s known as an “estate in fee simple absolute”. THis medieval term means that in theory ALL land in the country belongs to the Queen/Crown, and you only have the use of it. In reality it means it is yours to all intents and purposes. Leashold is used for two reasons - either as a way of realising the value of property whilst retaining ownership (usually for high end properties and for around 50-100 years). Examples here: [http://www.24-7estates.com/pchomes/propertylist.asp?QueryType=321&offset=570](http://www.24-7estates.com/pchomes/propertylist.asp?QueryType=321&offset=570) It is also used where it is impossible to sell freehold (ie flats above the ground floor), and also where some bodies are forbidden to sell property outright. An example of this is the Church Commissioners who selll property on 999 year leases. (I suppose they can take the longer view…) As to the original OP: The only reason to talk down a share price would be to facilitate a take over - and under UK law this would be very naughty indeed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-uk-dopers-who-are-in-the-know/203116.md?page=1)