Why do you classify what type of investor I am?
As per
requirements set by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), we must assess whether our
clients have the necessary knowledge and experience to understand the risks in our
investment products. It is important to us that our products are suitable and appropriate for
our clients.
Can I invest if I reside outside of the UK?
We
generally accept investments from all countries, with the exception of the USA
and those countries blacklisted on the basis of anti-money laundering rules. There may be a handful of countries
from which payments cannot be received or sent. If you are resident in any country other than the United Kingdom, your
local regulatory regime may differ from that of the United Kingdom, and you
accept that it is your responsibility to make sure that you act in compliance
with any relevant laws or regulations which may apply to you as a resident or
citizen of that country. Please see our terms and conditions for more
information, and please feel free to contact us if you have any further
questions.
What is the length of an investment?
The
typical project length ranges from 12-36 months. Timescales will vary from
project to project, details and breakdowns of projects phases are always
included in the project memorandum. As soon as a project is completed capital
and profits are returned to your Shojin wallet.
Can I get my investment back at any time?
Your capital and any profit will be due back to you when the
project has been completed and your money cannot be withdrawn until then. In
extreme circumstances, we may endeavour to assist you in exiting the project
early, however, this would be subject to finding an alternative investor
willing to take your position.
What happens if the target funding amount is not met?
If the target funding amount is not met, we always
strive to underwrite deals and then back-fill them through our platform. However,
if for some reason the project does not proceed after the funding period, all
committed investors funds would be returned to your Shojin wallet.
What is an SPV?
A Special
Purpose Vehicle (SPV) is a legal entity, usually a limited company, which will
be formed to pool together investors’ funds for a particular project. There
will be a different SPV for each opportunity, so each project is completely ring-fenced from the others.
How often will I receive project updates?
You will
receive quarterly updates on the projects that you have invested in. Ad-hoc updates will
also be provided for major milestones or key events with regards to a project.
How can I make an investment?
Once you
are fully registered on the platform you can choose an offer that you would
like to invest in, if the offer is IFISA eligible you will be given the option
to invest directly or within IFISA. You simply state how much you would like to
invest and follow the on-screen instructions. You will be given the option to fund your investment via bank transfer (instructions for your bank will be
shown on screen and emailed to you) or pay from your wallet if you have cleared
funds in your Shojin wallet.
When will my investment start earning returns?
Investments start
earning returns as soon as you have invested into a project.
As soon as your funds are allocated to the project, your investment will earn a holding interest rate of 5% per annum equivalent, until the project funding is completed or the project begins, whichever comes first. At this point all the accrued interest will be paid to your Shojin wallet for you to withdraw or place into another project. This way your money is working all the time.
If you are investing
from your wallet, your funds will be transferred and investment registered
instantaneously, whilst if you have made a reservation, the investment will be
registered as soon as the funds arrive and are allocated to the project. This
may take several days depending on your funds transfer arrangement with your
bank.
Please note that the
holding interest rate can vary from project to project and subject to change.
How do I get my funds back?
Funds sitting in your Shojin wallet can be returned to your nominated bank account. Please visit your portfolio and follow instructions to withdraw funds.
Can I invest in a company name or other legal entity?
Yes, you
are able to invest via your company or a trust. During registration, you will have
the option to register as an individual or a corporate entity. Depending on your
option you will need to supply a different set of documents for KYC purposes,
such as a company’s certificate of incorporation and articles of association.
We also accept investment via SIPPs and SSASs.
How do bank transfers work?
When you make an investment by bank transfer, you will be given on-screen instructions including a Unique Bank Transfer Reference Number which will be used to match your funds to your investment. This information will also be sent to you by email.
Funds should be transferred to 'ShareIn Ltd'. ShareIn Ltd acts as Shojin's custodian and holds all client monies in segregated accounts. ShareIn Limited (Firm Reference Number 603332) is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Payee Details:
Bank Name:
Barclays Bank PLC
Bank Address:
Barclays Corporate Banking
4th Floor, Bridgewater House, Counterslip
Finzels Reach, Bristol, BS1 6BX
Account Name:
Sharein Ltd.
Account Number:
90391212
Sort Code:
20-33-96
Bank transfer Reference:
Use the reference details provided on the website
For international transfers, please use the following details:
IBAN Number:
GB67BUKB20339690391212
BIC/SWIFT Code:
BUKBGB22
Based on your bank’s processes, a transfer may take up to 5 working days to complete. If your bank uses the Faster Payments Service, your payment will normally arrive within a few hours. You will receive an email when your funds have arrived and the investment is complete.
How do I top up my wallets?
If you would like to
top up your Shojin Classic wallet or IFISA
wallet (where applicable) by bank transfer you can find the
relevant details in your portfolio, simply follow the instructions to add funds.
Alternatively, you will have an option to 'set up standing order' and clicking
this will give you the necessary information to set this up with your bank, or
you could use the wallet reference to make direct top ups to your wallet. This
will be a seamless process with funds crediting your wallet automatically when
received.
Can I cancel my investment?
You will
have a “cooling off” period for 14 days after you make your investment when you
can call us for your money to be returned to you. Any holding interest that
has been earned for that period will not be returned. After the 14 days, you
will not be able to cancel your investment.
What are the risks associated with investing in these types of projects?
The key
risks associated with these types of projects are set out in our Key Risks
document, and a list of the key risks of an individual project will be included
as one of the investment documents. Returns from property investments are
difficult to predict. The returns are not guaranteed, and your capital is at
risk. We have sought to minimise the risks by carrying out detailed due
diligence on the project and the developers. We then monitor the development
works as the project progresses.
Is my investment protected by the FSCS deposit guarantee scheme?
No, any investments which you make on the Website are not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). However, for uninvested funds sitting in your Shojin wallets, a certain amount may be covered. The level of coverage depends on several complex factors and will be impacted by other funds you have being held in other Barclays Bank accounts. For further information about the FSCS (including what is covered and eligibility to claim) please visit the www.fscs.org.uk website or call 0800 678 1100.
Where are the funds held during the funding process?
Funds are
held with ShareIn Pay, in a segregated project account whilst the funding
process is ongoing. They are totally separated from Shojin Property Partners
and are only transferred from ShareIn Pay into a project once the funding
target has been met.
What rights do I have as a shareholder?
Shareholders’
rights will be set out in the Articles of Association of the relevant company.
This will be one of the project documents you will need to review prior to
making your investment.
What happens if Shojin ceases to exist or falls into financial distress?
Each
property investment is ring-fenced from the assets and liabilities of Shojin as
well as from all other property investments on the investor portal. As required by the
FCA, Shojin has in place a Resolution Plan and wind-down arrangements to ensure that all ongoing projects
are completed should Shojin fall into financial distress and not be able to
continue in business.
What is an Innovative Finance ISA?
In April
2016, the UK Government introduced the Innovative Finance ISA (IFISA), which
sits alongside the more traditional Cash and Stocks & Shares ISAs. It is a
new ISA category that enables investors to receive any returns they make on
eligible online-funded investments tax-free.
This ISA
category is becoming ever more popular, with subscriptions of £36m in its first
tax year (2016/17), rocketing to £290m subscribed in the 2017/18 tax year.
How does the Shojin IFISA work?
Investing
into a Shojin project through an IFISA means that any returns you make will be
tax-free.
Investment in Shojin IFISAs is on a project by project basis. Therefore, your
return will vary according to the investment you choose to invest in.
Please note that tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each investor and may be subject to change in future.
Who can subscribe to an IFISA with Shojin?
To be
eligible to subscribe to an IFISA you must be at least 18 years old and a UK
resident or a Crown employee serving abroad (such as a civil servant or
member of the armed forces, or a partner of such a Crown employee. You must
also have a National Insurance number.
How can I set up my Shojin IFISA?
Opening
an IFISA with Shojin is simple. Once you complete the standard registration
process, the only additional detail you need to hand is your National Insurance
number.
How do I fund my Shojin IFISA?
There are
several ways of funding your IFISA. You can either utilise your annual ISA
allowance, transfer in existing ISAs that you already have from previous tax
years or do both.
How can I open a new ISA using my annual allowance?
You can open a new ISA
by simply selecting an IFISA eligible investment and choosing to invest within
IFISA. You will need to read our IFISA terms and conditions and provide your
national insurance number. Alternatively, you could visit your Shojin account and
select “Open an ISA account”.
How can I transfer my existing ISAs in?
If you would like to
transfer funds in from your existing ISA providers, this can be done using our
automated online process. Firstly, you will need to go to your IFISA
Wallet and choose the Transfer-in option. You will be asked to fill out details
relating to your existing ISA, which will then generate a populated form for
you to download, sign and send to the address provided. Once this letter is
received, we will take care of the rest on your behalf. We will get in touch
with your ISA provider to request the transfer of funds, and as soon as they
arrive, the amount will be credited into your IFISA Wallet, and we'll send you
an email when the funds have arrived and are available to be invested into a
Shojin project.
Can I transfer part of my existing ISA?
Yes, you
are able to indicate the exact amount that you wish to transfer from your other
ISAs. You can hold several different types of ISAs as long as, in one single
tax year, you subscribe to one of each type: Cash, Stocks & Shares,
Lifetime, Help to Buy and Innovative Finance.
What is the ISA allowance?
The ISA
allowance for the 2022/23 tax year is £20,000.
This is
the maximum amount of new funds you can invest across all types of ISAs in the
tax-year. You can put your whole allowance into a particular type of ISA or you
can split it between the different types of ISAs: Cash, Stocks & Shares,
Lifetime, Help to Buy and Innovative Finance.
In the
next tax-year you can subscribe to an additional ISA of each type again.
Can I have more than one ISA?
In a
single tax year, you can subscribe to one of each type of ISA: Cash, Stocks
& Shares, Lifetime, Help to Buy and Innovative Finance. However, you can
have multiple ISAs of each type with different providers that have been opened
in previous tax years.
What fees does Shojin charge for the IFISA?
Shojin
Property Partners does not charge any fees for setting up an IFISA or managing
it on your behalf, however there are small administrative fees in certain
circumstances.
Please
see our IFISA Terms & Conditions for the circumstances when fees are
applicable.
What happens to my IFISA funds at the end of an investment?
As soon as a project
completes, your capital and interest will be transferred back into your IFISA
Wallet. You will then be able to either reinvest them into other IFISA eligible
projects, transfer them to a different ISA provider or withdraw them from
the Shojin ISA environment.
What happens if I pay too much into my IFISA?
Our
platform prevents you from investing more than the ISA allowance for each tax
year. However, if you have more than one ISA provider, it is up to you to
ensure that you do not exceed the ISA allowance across all your accounts.
Can I Invest via my Pension?
Yes, you
are able to invest via your SIPP (Self-Invested Personal Pension) or SSAS
(Small Self-Administered Schemes) subject to the requirements of your pension
provider.
What is a SIPP?
A
Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) is a pension ‘wrapper’ that holds
investments until you retire and start to draw retirement income. It works in a
similar way as a standard pension, however the main difference is that you have
more flexibility with the investments you can choose. There are certain tax
benefits associated with contributions, but you are usually unable to withdraw
money from the pension before you are 55 years old.
What is a SSAS?
A Small
Self-Administered Scheme (SSAS) is a type of small occupational pension scheme
approved by HMRC. This is usually established under trust, typically by company
directors to provide retirement benefits to a small number of key staff.
Insurance companies and other pension providers may also offer SSASs.
What is the process to invest via my pension?
Please check that the investment is approved with your administrator.
Register a new account on the website and at the KYC stage, please proceed as a Trust User through the registration process.
The following details relating to the trust will be requested:
• Trust Deed or Trust Agreement
• Registration Proof, typically a letter from your pension provider or trust administrator
• Trustee & Beneficiary Declaration form which can be downloaded and uploaded back after filling appropriate information.
Once these details have been approved, you will be able to proceed with an investment through the platform.
How can I invest via a SSAS?
If you
are interested in investing with us through a SSAS, please register a new
account on the website and put your scheme administrator in touch with us to assist
then through the process.