Case Study: Ealing

Artist exhibition at the Ealing studios

RATE SAVING STRATEGY: Charitable Occupation

REDUCTION ACHIEVED: 80%

RATES SAVED: £96,000pa

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Inver exists to turn underused commercial spaces into vibrant, community-driven places that create genuine social impact — while also unlocking significant business rates savings for landlords. One of our proudest examples of this is the transformation of a disused property in Ealing into a bustling artistic hub through charitable occupation.

Before Inver became involved, the site in Ealing — formerly owned by a housing association — had fallen into disuse. With no clear purpose and no income, the building quickly became a magnet for problems. Squatting, antisocial behaviour and deterioration became real risks, and the landlord was also facing mounting empty rates liabilities, with no short-term plan for the building’s future.

It was a textbook example of an asset with untapped potential — and Inver stepped in to help reimagine what was possible.

Working alongside one of our established partners, a registered charity that supports artists and cultural projects across London, Inver proposed an alternative to vacancy: transforming the building into a creative space for local artists.

We carried out a full assessment of the site’s potential for charitable use and worked closely with the charity and the landlord to create a sustainable, legally compliant plan for occupation. This involved:

• Coordinating building improvements to ensure the space could function safely and effectively as artist studios

• Supporting the charity with the logistics of onboarding and managing artists

• Providing guidance to the client on documentation and compliance to qualify for charitable rates relief

Within weeks, the once-vacant property had been reimagined into a working creative centre, with studios on site and artists actively using the space.

By facilitating a legitimate charitable use of the space, we helped the landlord secure mandatory 80% business rates relief, with the potential to apply for discretionary relief from the local authority on the remaining 20%. This resulted in a significant reduction in annual liabilities, offering an immediate and ongoing financial benefit.

At the same time, local creatives who were otherwise being priced out of London’s commercial studio market were given access to affordable, safe space to work — right in the heart of the community. The studios are now full of activity and purpose, supporting artists and energising the surrounding neighbourhood.

This wasn’t just a financial win — it was a social one. Turning an idle building into a hub of cultural activity brought footfall, interest, and pride back to the street. The community welcomed the transformation, and even better — the new on-site studio manager has a personal link to the space: his mother worked there years ago when it was still part of the housing association. It’s a full-circle story that speaks to the deeper social value we aim to create.

The Ealing project is a powerful example of what’s possible when property owners take a more imaginative, socially conscious approach to vacancy. Through Inver’s charitable occupation model: landlords save thousands in business rates; communities gain accessible, creative spaces and artists stay in the city and continue to contribute to its cultural life

It’s not just asset protection — it’s purposeful, impactful reuse.