COUNTY_FREEHOLD_&_LEASEHO - Accounts

The directors of the company have elected not to include a copy of the profit and loss account within the financial statements.true

For the financial year ended 31 March 2023 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of financial statements.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year in question in accordance with section 476.

These financial statements have been prepared and delivered in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.

County Freehold & Leasehold Estates Limited is a private company limited by shares incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is C/O Sobell Rhodes LLP, The Kinetic Centre, Theobald Street, Elstree, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, WD6 4PJ.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 as applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime. The disclosure requirements of section 1A of FRS 102 have been applied other than where additional disclosure is required to show a true and fair view.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, [modified to include the revaluation of freehold properties and to include investment properties and certain financial instruments at fair value]. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

Interest income is recognised using the effective interest method and dividend income is recognised as the company's right to receive payment is established.

Investment properties for which fair value can be measured reliably without undue cost or effort are measured at fair value at each reporting date with changes in fair value recognised in profit or loss.

Investments in the subsidiary are measured at cost less any accumulated impairment losses.

Listed investments are measured at fair value.

Unlisted investments are measured at fair value unless the value cannot be measured reliably, in which case they are measured at cost less any accumulated impairment losses.

Changes in fair value are included in the profit and loss account.

Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.

Financial liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the company after deducting all of its liabilities.

Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and loans from fellow group companies that are classified as debt, are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.

Creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

The tax expense for the period comprises current tax. Tax is recognised in profit or loss, except that a change attributable to an item of income or expense recognised as other comprehensive income is also recognised directly in other comprehensive income.

The current income tax charge is calculated on the basis of tax rates and laws that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting date in the countries where the company operates and generates taxable income.

Deferred tax is recognised in respect of all timing differences between the recognition of income and expenses in the financial statements and their inclusion in tax assessments. Unrelieved tax losses and other deferred tax assets are recognised only to the extent that it is probable that they will be recovered against the reversal of deferred tax liabilities or other future taxable profits.

Deferred tax is measured using the tax rates and laws that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting date and that are expected to apply to the reversal of the timing difference, except for revalued non-depreciable tangible fixed assets and investment properties which are measured using the rates and allowances that apply to the sale of the asset.

Current and deferred tax assets and liabilities are not discounted.

The costs of short-term employee benefits are recognised as a liability and an expense, unless those costs are required to be recognised as part of the cost of stock or fixed assets.

The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.

Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the company is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.

Transactions in foreign currencies are initially recognised at the rate of exchange ruling at the date of the transaction. At the end of each reporting period foreign currency monetary items are translated at the closing rate of exchange. Non monetary items that are measured at historical cost are translated at the rate ruling at the date of the transaction. All differences are charged to profit and loss.

The average monthly number of persons (including directors) employed by the company during the year was:

In the opinion of the director the market value of the investment property, which is situated in France, was 20,000,000 Euro (£17,609,200) as at 31 March 2023. The fair value adjustment represents an exchange rate difference of £649,740 (2022: £115,040) on conversion from Euro to the Sterling equivalent at 31 March 2023.

There has been no valuation of investment property by an independent valuer.

The company has a debt of £4,869,193 (2022: £4,370,178) due to the French Tax Authorities in relation to property taxes and interest for the period 1 January 2011 to 31 March 2023. The obligation to pay has been suspended due to contentious claims made by the Company against the property taxes. The French Tax Authorities according to their entitlement have taken a protective guarantee by way of a mortgage registration against the investment properties pending the outcome of the contentious claims

Summary of transactions with parent

At the year end the Company has provided an interest free loan of £527,550 (2022: £489,415) which is payable on demand to its parent company, British Finance & Investment Company Limited.

At the year end the Company has received an interest free loan of £1,030,526 (2022: £701,526) which is payable on demand to Maurec Investment Limited.

The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of British Finance & Investment Company Limited (BFI), a company incorporated in the Bahamas.

BFI is a wholly owned subsidiary of IFT Intercontinental Finance and Trading Establishment, a company incorporated in Liechtenstein, whose controlling parties are P Zajac and B Zajac