House builders and retailers offer some of the best shareholder perks with discounts of up to 25% according to a survey from Barclays Stockbrokers. Bellway (BWY) and Barratt Developments (BDEV) will lop off £625 and £500 respectively for every £25,000 spent on a house, reductions of 2.5% and 2%. Meanwhile Next (NXT) will give a 25% reduction on a one-off purchase and Mulberry (MUL:AIM) a discount of 20% at selected stores.

However, like most deals, there is small print to watch out for either in the form of a minimum qualifying holding or a stipulation that the shares be held in certificated form rather than in electronic format in an online account.

To qualify for the Bellway discount, you need to have held 2,000 shares for a minimum of 12 months, while Barratt’s reduction is conditional on a minimum holding of 1,000 shares once again being held for 12 months.

Meanwhile, Next insists on a minimum of 500 shares (discount vouchers sent out with the annual report have to be used by 31 October) as does Mulberry. However, some companies, including Legal & General (LGEN), which offers a 10% reduction on insurance, and Moss Bros (MOSB), a 20% discount on a single purchase, stipulate no minimum shareholding.

Barratt will discriminate on how you hold your shares, insisting they be in the form of certificates. Indeed, in its survey of 45 companies, Barclays found seven stipulate certificated holdings in order to access perks. If you hold your shares in electronic format (via an online account), your broker will hold your shares on your behalf in a nominee account so its name appears on the share register rather than yours and only they are entitled to the perk.

Other companies that insist on certificated holdings include 4imprint (FOUR), CHE Hotel (CEU), Eurotunnel (ETL) and Whitbred (WTB).

To look at Barclays’ perks guide visit: www.stockbrokers.barclays.co.uk/certificates.