Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
Eigentumswohnung
English translation:
freehold apartment; (now) commonhold flat (BE); (prev.) flying freehold
Added to glossary by
KirstyMacC (X)
Mar 9, 2004 21:50
20 yrs ago
47 viewers *
German term
Eigentumswohnung
German to English
Bus/Financial
Real Estate
owner-occupied flat
- does it have to be freehold or leasehold, or can it be either?
- does it have to be freehold or leasehold, or can it be either?
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Dec 18, 2008 15:32: Steffen Walter changed "Field" from "Other" to "Bus/Financial"
Proposed translations
20 mins
Selected
1. (now) commonhold flat (BE) 2. (prev.) flying freehold
We've had this one before.
See the UK Commonhold & Leasheold Reform Act 2002.
The leasholders gang up to form a co. to buy out the freehold. The freeholders have to sell in certain circs.
It's strictly a freehold that is legally 'a term for 999 years' - but not abs. title as vested in the Brit. Crown. That is all land belongs ultimately to Her Majesty.
However, as I know from the 'enfranchisement' i.e. conversion of my own leasehold flat in London into freehold, the leasehold covenants i.e. restrictions on subletting etc. are adopted and carried over.
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Note added at 2004-03-09 22:12:42 (GMT)
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In short, it\'s a freehold flat.
See the UK Commonhold & Leasheold Reform Act 2002.
The leasholders gang up to form a co. to buy out the freehold. The freeholders have to sell in certain circs.
It's strictly a freehold that is legally 'a term for 999 years' - but not abs. title as vested in the Brit. Crown. That is all land belongs ultimately to Her Majesty.
However, as I know from the 'enfranchisement' i.e. conversion of my own leasehold flat in London into freehold, the leasehold covenants i.e. restrictions on subletting etc. are adopted and carried over.
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Note added at 2004-03-09 22:12:42 (GMT)
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In short, it\'s a freehold flat.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks for the detailed explanation!"
+7
1 min
Kim Metzger
Mexico
Mexico
Native in English
Works in field
Mexico
Committed to Quality and Service
Native in: English (Variant: US) 
Works in: German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
305
condominium
Or privately owned flat (BE)
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Trudy Peters
: definitely condominium in the US
7 mins
|
| agree |
jccantrell
: Could also be a co-op, but that depends on how the legal agreement was structured. (NYC has coops, not condos)
20 mins
|
| agree |
Ingrid Blank
29 mins
|
| agree |
Sarah Downing
: Yup condominium is definitely strictly US
33 mins
|
| agree |
Marek Urban
: private, freehold as opposite to leasehold
49 mins
|
| neutral |
Nigel Hagger-Vaughan
: not "condominium" in the UK!
9 hrs
|
| agree |
Dr.G.MD (X)
18 hrs
|
| agree |
writeaway
: privately owned flat would have been fine. too bad it was ignored
1470 days
|
19 mins
Jonathan MacKerron
Native in English
Retired as of Jan 2019!
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
67
to own an apartment
based on Duden "die: Wohnung [in einem größeren Haus], die das Eigentum einer Privatperson ist."
I don't think the German differentiates between freehold/leasehold, the important bit is that you are not a renter, but rather a proprietor.
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Note added at 20 mins (2004-03-09 22:10:41 GMT)
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\"owner-occupied\" can cause confusion, as many Germany own apartments but rent them out to others....
I don't think the German differentiates between freehold/leasehold, the important bit is that you are not a renter, but rather a proprietor.
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Note added at 20 mins (2004-03-09 22:10:41 GMT)
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\"owner-occupied\" can cause confusion, as many Germany own apartments but rent them out to others....
34 mins
David Hollywood
Native in English
worked for int. orgs (IMF, OAS, IDB)
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
59
condominium, freehold flat
personally-owned flat
11 hrs
Can be freehold or leasehold
As others have pointed out, condominion is an entirely US expression, and isn't used in the UK, where we speak of owner-occupied flats (if the owner lives in it) or privately owned flats (if he/she doesn't). And yes, my experience is that you can perfectly well speak of owning a leasehold flat. In London, in particular, most flats are leasehold and you are simply buying the remainder of the lease (which is often then extended so it doesn't actually expire) - you are no less an owner-occupier because the property is not freehold.
15 hrs
Merry Foxworth
United States
United States
Native in English
United States
Broad medical backgrd.; lived in Austria
Native in: English
Works in: German to English
owned (not rented)
I would be careful about using the word "condominium" unless I were very sure it equated to our use of that term. A condominium is a very specific form of ownership, as distinct from, for example, a cooperative. It has nothing to do with the physical shape of the unit, as in townhouse or apartment. I have no idea whether condominiums exist in German-speaking countries, or what they would be called if they did.
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