VATLP05720 - Exemption: European concept of 'leasing or letting of immovable property': what is a leasing or letting of immovable property?

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp meaning of ‘leasing or letting of immovable propertyâ€� (Article 135 (1) (l) of the Principal VAT Directive) has been firmly established in numerous ECJ judgements.

Essentially, a ‘leasing or letting of immovable propertyâ€� is ‘normally a relatively passive activity, not generating any significant added valueâ€� (Goed Wonen C-326/99). »Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp ECJ has also described it as the ‘passive provision of spaceâ€� (Sinclair Collis C-275/01).

To be classified as a ‘leasing or letting of immovable property�, a transaction must have all of the following characteristics:

1 It must relate to a defined area (VATLP05750) of immovable property (VATLP05740)
2 It must confer a right to occupy that property, which gives the tenant or licensee the right to exclude others and to occupy as owner (VATLP05760)
3 »Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp right of occupation must be for an agreed duration (VATLP05770)
4 That right must be given for a payment for the period (VATLP05780)