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Proptic Learning Centre

Everything you need to know about Tenants in Common property co-ownership — from first principles to legal frameworks, real-world scenarios, and platform guides.

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Getting Started with Proptic

What is Proptic?

Proptic is Australia's purpose-built platform for Tenants in Common (TIC) property co-ownership listings. We provide a secure online space for property owners to advertise TIC shares and for purchasers to discover co-ownership opportunities. The platform offers secure messaging, deal rooms for transaction coordination, a professional services directory, AI-powered legal and property tools, governance and issue management, and a secondary market for share trading.

All negotiations and transactions are conducted privately off-platform through licensed conveyancers and lawyers. Proptic is your discovery, coordination, and management layer — not a financial intermediary.

Your Journey in 5 Steps

1

Create Your Account

Sign up with your email and basic information. Choose your user type — buyer, seller, or professional — to get a tailored experience.

2

Browse TIC Listings

Explore property co-ownership shares across Australia. Filter by state, property type, price range, and share percentage to find opportunities that match your goals.

3

Contact Sellers Securely

Send enquiries and ask questions through Proptic's secure messaging. Learn about existing co-owner arrangements, title documents, and property details.

4

Open a Deal Room

When discussions progress, open a Deal Room to coordinate with the seller, your lawyer, conveyancer, and other parties. Share documents and track the transaction pipeline.

5

Complete Off-Platform

Finalise your purchase through your licensed conveyancer and lawyer off-platform. They handle the legal transfer, stamp duty, and title registration. Proptic is your discovery and coordination tool.

How to Use the Proptic Platform

1. Browsing Listings

Browse TIC property shares across Australia with comprehensive search and filter tools. Every listing includes the essential information you need to evaluate an opportunity before making an enquiry.

Listing Information Includes:

  • Property address and location details
  • Share percentage being offered (1%–99%)
  • Asking price for the share
  • Property photos, features, and specifications
  • Property type (residential, commercial, mixed-use, land)
  • Seller verification status and title verification badge

Use the filters to narrow by state, property type, and price range. Save your searches to receive notifications when new matching listings are published.

2. Messaging Sellers

Use Proptic's secure messaging to contact sellers and ask questions about listings. All communication is tracked within the platform — your personal contact details remain private until you choose to share them.

Best Practices for Enquiries:

  • • Be specific about your requirements and timeline
  • • Ask about existing co-owner arrangements and TIC agreement terms
  • • Request copies of title documents for your conveyancer to review
  • • Ask about the property's rental history and current occupancy
  • • Discuss expected ongoing expenses (rates, insurance, maintenance)
  • • Exchange contact details only when you're ready for serious off-platform discussions

When you're ready to progress, open a Deal Room to bring in your legal and financial professionals for a coordinated transaction.

3. KYC Identity Verification

Identity verification (KYC) is required before you can contact sellers or create listings. This protects all platform users and complies with Australian anti-money-laundering (AML/CTF) regulations.

Required Documents:

  • • Australian Driver's Licence, Passport, or Medicare Card (primary ID)
  • • Recent utility bill or bank statement (proof of address, within 3 months)

What Happens Next:

  • • Verification typically completes within 24–48 hours
  • • Your documents are encrypted and stored securely
  • • Once verified, you can message sellers and create listings
  • • A verification badge appears on your profile and listings

Your privacy is paramount. Proptic does not share your identity documents with other users — verification status is confirmed via a badge only.

4. Creating a Listing

List your TIC property share to reach thousands of potential buyers across Australia. The listing wizard guides you through each step.

Listing Process:

  1. 1. Enter property details — address, type, share percentage, asking price
  2. 2. Upload photos and describe features (bedrooms, bathrooms, parking, etc.)
  3. 3. Upload title documents for verification (optional but recommended)
  4. 4. Set your listing status — draft, pending verification, or active
  5. 5. Manage enquiries through your seller dashboard

5. Using Deal Rooms

Deal Rooms are secure, collaborative workspaces for coordinating TIC transactions. They bring all parties together — buyers, sellers, lawyers, conveyancers, and professionals — in one organised space before taking the transaction off-platform for finalisation.

Deal Room Features:

  • • Secure real-time messaging with all participants
  • • Document sharing — upload contracts, title searches, inspection reports
  • • Transaction pipeline tracking across 8 stages
  • • Participant management with role-based permissions
  • • User-managed timeline checklist for key milestones
  • • Ownership structure modelling tools

Deal Rooms keep your transaction organised without replacing your legal professionals. All negotiations and settlement remain off-platform through your licensed conveyancer.

Proptic Platform Features

Proptic is more than a listings marketplace. It's a full-service platform for TIC co-ownership discovery, transaction coordination, management, and governance. These tools are available based on your account type and membership tier.

Secure Deal Rooms

A private collaborative workspace for all parties in a TIC transaction — buyers, sellers, lawyers, and conveyancers. Includes document sharing, real-time messaging, participant management, and an 8-stage transaction pipeline tracker.

AI Tools & Legal Tech

AI-powered tools to assist with property research, document generation, legal clause explanations, and TIC agreement analysis. Includes a conversational AI legal advisor for property-specific questions. Not a substitute for a lawyer, but a powerful research assistant.

TIC Partner Matching

Create a public Partner Profile to find compatible co-ownership partners. Filter by budget, location, property type, investment goals, and risk profile. Designed for buyers seeking co-owners before purchasing a property together.

Governance Centre

For established TIC groups: create and vote on governance proposals with ownership-weighted quorum thresholds. Track decisions, manage issue tickets, log co-owner communications, and maintain a record of ownership structure changes.

Ownership Structure Wizard

Step-by-step wizard to compare TIC ownership structures — Direct TIC, Managed TIC, and Unit Trust — with explanations of the legal, tax, and practical implications of each. Model ownership percentages, deposits, and contributions per co-owner.

Property Management & Issue Tracking

Track maintenance issues, submit repair requests, manage tenant arrangements, and log property expenses across your TIC holdings. Keep co-owners informed and accountable with status updates and resolution tracking.

Key Benefits of TIC Ownership

Tenants in Common ownership offers unique advantages that make it an attractive option for many property buyers and owners. Understanding these benefits helps you decide whether TIC is the right structure for your circumstances.

Direct Registered Ownership

Your name appears on the property title at the land registry. You own real property, not units or shares in a company or trust.

Flexible Share Sizes

Own anywhere from 1% to 99% of a property. Shares can be unequal between co-owners based on contributions and agreements.

Independent Transfer Rights

Sell, transfer, or bequeath your share independently (subject to TIC agreement terms). No requirement for unanimous co-owner consent for transfer.

160+ Years of Legal Precedent

TIC is established under Australian property law since the 1860s. Clear rights, obligations, and court precedents exist across all states.

Clear Legal Structure

TIC agreements define decision-making, expense sharing, and exit provisions. Legally enforceable and court-recognized under the Torrens title system.

No Forced Pooling

Each TIC purchase is individual. You're not pooling funds with strangers or participating in a collective investment scheme.

Real Property Rights

All the rights of property ownership — voting on decisions, occupancy rights, ability to mortgage your share (lender permitting).

Estate Planning Friendly

Pass your share to beneficiaries through your will. No right of survivorship means your estate controls disposition, not surviving co-owners.

Real-World TIC Use Cases

These scenarios illustrate how TIC co-ownership works in practice across different life situations. Each example shows the situation, the TIC solution, the outcome, and the professionals who should be consulted. These are illustrative examples only — your circumstances will differ and require professional advice.

For Homeowners

Scenario: Retirement Equity Release

Margaret, 72, owns her Sydney home worth $2.5M but needs retirement income

Situation: Margaret owns her home outright but her pension alone isn't enough for comfortable retirement. She doesn't want to move from her community of 40 years or disrupt her grandchildren's visits.

TIC Solution: Margaret sells a 30% registered title share ($750k) to another property owner. She continues living in the home with occupancy rights specified in the TIC agreement.

Outcome: Margaret receives $750k for retirement income and medical expenses. She stays in her home, maintains independence, and the purchaser owns registered title to 30% with rights to proportional proceeds when the property eventually sells.

Professional Advice Needed:

  • ✓ Property lawyer for TIC agreement with occupancy rights protection
  • ✓ Financial advisor for aged pension implications and tax advice
  • ✓ Estate planning lawyer for will and succession planning
  • ✓ Conveyancer for title transfer and registration
  • ✓ Accountant for capital gains tax assessment

Scenario: Divorce Without Forced Sale

Sarah & Tom, Perth couple separating with $1.2M family home

Situation: Divorcing couple with two school-aged children. Tom wants the children to stay in their home and school zone. Sarah needs to access her equity to buy elsewhere.

TIC Solution: Sarah lists her 50% registered share on Proptic and sells to another property owner for $600k through private sale. Tom remains living in the home with children. The new co-owner and Tom enter a TIC agreement governing property management and future sale.

Outcome: Children maintain stability and school continuity. Sarah accesses her capital immediately to move forward. Tom stays without needing to refinance the full $600k. New co-owner gets registered property ownership with clear legal rights.

Professional Advice Needed:

  • ✓ Family lawyer for property settlement and consent orders
  • ✓ Property lawyer to draft TIC agreement protecting all parties
  • ✓ Independent property valuer for market valuation
  • ✓ Conveyancer for each party to handle title transfer
  • ✓ Financial advisor for mortgage and tax implications

Scenario: Family Inheritance Planning

David, 68, wants to transfer property to his 3 children gradually

Situation: David owns a $1.8M property and wants to start passing it to his three adult children, but wants to maintain control during his lifetime and test how they manage shared ownership.

TIC Solution: David transfers 10% registered shares to each child over three years (30% total). Each transfer is a separate transaction with its own stamp duty calculation on the share value only. David retains 70% ownership and decision-making control.

Outcome: Children begin building equity and learning property management while David is alive to guide them. Gradual transfer may offer stamp duty benefits. David can assess how children cooperate before full transfer. Upon his passing, remaining 70% distributes per will.

Professional Advice Needed:

  • ✓ Estate planning lawyer for inheritance tax and succession strategy
  • ✓ Tax accountant for capital gains tax and stamp duty optimization
  • ✓ Financial advisor for aged pension eligibility impacts
  • ✓ Property lawyer to draft family TIC agreement
  • ✓ Conveyancer to handle multiple staged transfers

For Property Purchasers

Scenario: First Property Purchase

James, 28, has $200k deposit but can't afford full properties in target areas

Situation: James wants to own property in Melbourne's inner suburbs but whole properties cost $800k+. He has $200k deposit but borrowing capacity limits him.

TIC Solution: James purchases 25% registered title ownership in four different properties: Melbourne CBD apartment (25% for $200k), Brisbane new development (20% for $150k), Sydney unit (15% for $180k). Each is a separate private purchase with registered title.

Outcome: James owns registered title in multiple properties across 3 cities for the same capital. Receives proportional rental income from each. Participates in each property's potential capital appreciation. Learns property ownership with spread exposure.

Professional Advice Needed:

  • ✓ Property lawyer in each state to review TIC agreements
  • ✓ Mortgage broker for financing options on TIC purchases
  • ✓ Financial advisor for portfolio strategy and suitability
  • ✓ Accountant for tax treatment across multiple properties
  • ✓ Conveyancer in each state for local title searches
  • ✓ Building inspector for each property

Scenario: Geographic Diversification

Lisa, 45, wants property exposure across multiple Australian cities

Situation: Lisa has $600k capital and wants property ownership in growth markets across Australia but doesn't want concentration in one city or property type.

TIC Solution: Lisa purchases: 30% of a Sydney residential property ($300k), 40% of a Brisbane commercial space ($180k), 20% of a Perth house ($120k). Each purchase gives registered title ownership in that specific property.

Outcome: Lisa owns registered shares in properties across 3 capital cities and 3 property types. Different market exposure, different co-owners, different rental arrangements. Geographic and asset type spread across Australian property markets.

Professional Advice Needed:

  • ✓ Financial advisor for portfolio allocation and strategy
  • ✓ Tax accountant for cross-state tax obligations
  • ✓ Property lawyers in each state
  • ✓ Property managers in each location for tenant coordination
  • ✓ Insurance broker for multi-property coverage

For Developers

Scenario: Luxury Development Fast Sale

Brisbane developer with 3 luxury apartments at $1.8M each struggling to find buyers

Situation: Boutique developer completed 3 high-end apartments but market is slow. Only 1 enquiry in 6 months. Holding costs mounting. Bank wants project closed.

TIC Solution: Developer structures each apartment as TIC shares — offering 10% shares at $180k each. Markets to purchasers with $180k–$400k budgets who were previously excluded. Sells 30 total shares across the 3 apartments to 18 different purchasers.

Outcome: All 3 apartments fully sold within 8 weeks through private sales. 18 purchasers receive registered title to their percentage shares. Developer exits with full payment. Purchasers access premium property. Ongoing management through body corporate structure.

Professional Advice Needed:

  • ✓ Development lawyer for TIC sale structure compliance
  • ✓ Conveyancing team to handle 18 separate settlements
  • ✓ Accountant for tax treatment of TIC sales
  • ✓ Strata lawyer for body corporate establishment
  • ✓ Property lawyer to draft standard TIC agreement for all purchasers
  • ✓ Disclosure lawyer for purchaser disclosure obligations

For Real Estate Agents

Scenario: Expanding Service Offerings

Real estate agent helps client access equity without selling entire home

Situation: Agent's client needs $400k for business investment but doesn't want to sell their $1.6M home and relocate family.

TIC Solution: Agent advises about TIC equity release option. Lists 25% share on Proptic. Finds purchaser within 6 weeks. Coordinates conveyancers and lawyers. Earns commission on $400k transaction while client stays in home.

Outcome: Agent provides creative solution and retains client long-term. Client gets needed capital. Purchaser gets registered title to property share. Agent builds reputation as TIC specialist and receives referrals for similar cases.

Professional Advice Needed:

  • ✓ TIC-specific professional development and training
  • ✓ Network of TIC-experienced property lawyers for referrals
  • ✓ Relationships with conveyancers familiar with TIC transfers
  • ✓ Understanding of disclosure obligations specific to TIC sales
  • ✓ Professional indemnity insurance covering TIC transactions
Understanding Tenants in Common (TIC)

What is Tenants in Common?

Tenants in Common (TIC) is a form of property co-ownership where two or more parties hold undivided interests in a property, with each owner holding a defined percentage shown on the registered title. Unlike joint tenancy, ownership shares can be unequal, and there is no right of survivorship — meaning your share passes through your estate rather than automatically to surviving co-owners.

TIC is one of the oldest and most established forms of property co-ownership in Australian law, with roots tracing back to English common law and codified under the Torrens title system since the 1860s. It provides direct, registered ownership of real property — not shares in a company, units in a trust, or interests in a managed investment scheme.

Key Characteristics:

  • • Undivided Interest: You own a percentage of the whole property, not a specific room or floor
  • • Separate Interests: Each owner's share is separate and can be dealt with independently
  • • Unequal Shares Permitted: Can be 50/50, 60/40, 33/33/34, or any combination totaling 100%
  • • Registered Title: Each percentage appears on the Certificate of Title
  • • Estate Transfer: Your share passes through your estate, not to co-owners automatically

How TIC Works in Australia

  • Your ownership percentage is recorded on the property title
  • Direct legal interest under the Torrens title system
  • Proportional share of rental income and appreciation
  • Proportional responsibility for expenses
  • Can sell, transfer, or mortgage your share (subject to agreement)

Practical Examples

Example 1: Three-Way Split

Property valued at $900k owned by three people: Person A owns 50% ($450k), Person B owns 30% ($270k), Person C owns 20% ($180k). Title shows all three names with percentages. If property rents for $60k/year, they receive $30k, $18k, and $12k respectively (after expenses split proportionally).

Example 2: Parent-Child Co-Ownership

Parent owns 70%, adult child owns 30% of $1M property. Title shows both names. Parent lives in property. When parent passes away, their 70% distributes per will (might go to child, making them 100% owner, or split among multiple children). Child's 30% was already theirs and not affected by parent's death.

Example 3: Separation Solution

Separating couple each own 50% of $800k home. Partner A sells their 50% share to third-party purchaser for $400k through private sale. Partner B remains living in property. New co-owner and Partner B execute TIC agreement governing their co-ownership. Partner A accesses capital without forcing sale of family home.

Detailed Rights and Responsibilities

Your Rights as a TIC Owner
  • Right to Occupy: Use and enjoy the entire property (subject to agreement terms)
  • Proportional Income: Receive your percentage of rental income
  • Vote on Decisions: Participate in property management decisions per agreement
  • Independent Transfer: Sell or transfer your share (subject to agreement terms)
  • Bequest Rights: Leave your share to beneficiaries in your will
  • Mortgage Rights: Use your share as security (lender and co-owners permitting)
  • Partition Right: Apply to court for sale if deadlock occurs
  • Information Access: Inspect property records and financial accounts
Your Responsibilities as a TIC Owner
  • Proportional Expenses: Pay your percentage of rates, insurance, utilities
  • Maintenance Contributions: Fund your share of repairs and upkeep
  • Agreement Compliance: Follow all terms in the TIC agreement
  • Good Faith Obligations: Deal honestly and fairly with co-owners
  • Decision Participation: Engage in property decisions as an active co-owner
  • Insurance Obligations: Maintain required property insurance coverage
  • Co-owner Communication: Respond to notices and communications promptly
  • Liability for Debts: Your share can be subject to creditor claims
TIC Under Australian Property Law

State-Based Legislation

Property law in Australia is state-based. Each state and territory has its own legislation governing TIC ownership, though the fundamental principles are consistent across all jurisdictions under the Torrens title system.

New South Wales (NSW)

Primary Legislation:

  • • Real Property Act 1900 (NSW)
  • • Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW)
  • • Property, Stock and Business Agents Act 2002

Key Provisions:

Sections 26–66 Real Property Act cover co-ownership. Conveyancing Act Part 5 Division 5 addresses partition and sale. Co-owners have statutory right to apply for sale if agreement cannot be reached.

Registration:

Through NSW Land Registry Services (electronic via PEXA)

Victoria (VIC)

Primary Legislation:

  • • Transfer of Land Act 1958 (Vic)
  • • Property Law Act 1958 (Vic)
  • • Sale of Land Act 1962 (Vic)

Key Provisions:

Property Law Act Part IX addresses co-ownership rights. Sections 228–233 cover partition and sale applications. Statutory duty of good faith between co-owners recognized in case law.

Registration:

Through Land Use Victoria (electronic via PEXA)

Queensland (QLD)

Primary Legislation:

  • • Land Title Act 1994 (Qld)
  • • Property Law Act 1974 (Qld)

Key Provisions:

Property Law Act Chapter 5 Part 3 covers tenancy in common. Each co-owner holds undivided share in whole property. Partition available under Supreme Court Act 1995 s19-20.

Registration:

Through Queensland Titles Registry

WA, SA, TAS, ACT, NT

Primary Legislation:

  • • Transfer of Land Act 1893 (WA)
  • • Real Property Act 1886 (SA)
  • • Land Titles Act 1980 (TAS)

Key Provisions:

All Australian jurisdictions recognize TIC and provide similar rights to co-owners including partition, transfer, and mortgaging of individual shares. SA is the birthplace of the Torrens system.

Registration:

Through respective state land registries (electronic via PEXA)

Common Law Principles

Unity of Possession

All co-owners have right to possess the entire property (not just their percentage portion). Occupancy and usage rights must be specifically addressed in the TIC agreement.

No Right of Survivorship

Unlike joint tenancy, when a TIC owner dies, their share passes via their will or intestacy rules — not automatically to surviving co-owners. This is a key distinction from joint tenancy.

Statutory Partition Rights

All states provide statutory right to apply for partition or sale if co-owners cannot agree. Courts balance interests but generally favor sale where physical partition is impractical.

Fiduciary Duties Between Co-Owners

Case law establishes co-owners owe each other duties of good faith, honesty, and fair dealing. Cannot profit at co-owner's expense. Must disclose conflicts of interest.

TIC vs Other Ownership Structures

FeatureTenants in CommonJoint TenancyCompany Title
Ownership TypeDirect registered titleDirect registered titleShares in company
Share SizesCan be unequalMust be equalEqual shares
SurvivorshipNo — passes via willYes — to surviving ownersNo — shares transferable
Independent SaleYes (subject to agreement)Breaks joint tenancySubject to company rules
Mortgage ShareYes (lender permitting)Breaks joint tenancyNo
Property Investment Glossary

Key terms and definitions to help you navigate the world of TIC property co-ownership. Understanding this vocabulary will help you communicate effectively with your legal and financial professionals.

Co-ownership Agreement

Legal document defining rights and responsibilities between co-owners of a property

Conveyancing

Legal process of transferring property ownership from one party to another

Caveat

A legal notice lodged on a property title indicating a third-party interest in the property

Discharge of Mortgage

Removal of a mortgage from a property title after the loan is fully repaid

Encumbrance

A registered interest or charge on a property that may affect its value or use

Escrow

Trust account where funds are held until transaction conditions are met

Easement

A right to use another person's land for a specific purpose (e.g., access, utilities)

Indefeasible Title

Title that cannot be challenged or set aside except in limited circumstances under the Torrens system

Joint Tenancy

Co-ownership where all owners hold equal shares and survivorship applies

KYC

Know Your Customer — identity verification required under AML/CTF laws

Land Registry

Government office responsible for maintaining property title records

PEXA

Property Exchange Australia — the electronic platform for property settlements

Partition

Legal process of dividing co-owned property, either physically or by sale

Right of First Refusal

Existing co-owners have first opportunity to buy when a share is offered for sale

Settlement

Final step where ownership transfers and funds are paid

Stamp Duty

State tax payable on property transactions, calculated on the share value

Strata Title

Individual ownership of an apartment or unit plus shared ownership of common areas

Tenants in Common (TIC)

Co-ownership where each owner holds a defined, transferable percentage share

Torrens Title

Government-guaranteed land registration system used throughout Australia

Trust Account

Regulated bank account holding client funds separately from business funds

Undivided Interest

Ownership of a percentage of the whole property, not a specific physical part

Valuation

Professional assessment of a property's market value by a qualified valuer

Certificate of Title

Official document showing registered ownership and any encumbrances

Transfer of Land

Legal document that transfers registered ownership from seller to buyer

Support & Help

Still Have Questions?

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Look for the chat icon in the bottom right corner of any page, or contact our support team directly.

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