Ahead of the Budget, Andrew Ellinas, Director of Sandfords comments on what he would like to see the Chancellor announce today.
March 16, 2016
“Unlikely to happen, but Mr Osborne needs to start reversing the stamp duty changes he has made. Over the last four years there has been an unfair amount of tax changes including stamp duty, land tax and capital gains. Landlords and homeowners have been completely restricted with these additional tax charges, all of which have been very damaging on the housing market as a whole. The most recent change, the 3% surcharge on buy-to-let and second home properties, due to begin on 1st April, will undoubtedly deplete the level of rental stock. Not only will people then not be able to afford to buy they won’t be able to rent either.
These so called ‘clampdowns’ as part of a spending review package are having a negative impact on the housing market. The Government has done what they always do and has been far too heavy handed causing the industry to suffer. Far from the conservative party being the property industry’s friend, they have in fact been our enemy making it increasingly more difficult and expensive for people to be able to afford to buy.
In addition to this, it looks like the Chancellor is going to make another step tomorrow that will again knock the property market when he announces an insurance premium tax; an increase in home insurance payments.
All of these tax changes have created a fairly static market, particularly in the London market. It doesn’t help that people are sitting on their hands until a decision is made on whether we stay in the EU or not, but something needs to change and I would like to see the Chancellor reverse some of the tax hikes he has implemented. The last thing he should be doing right now is making it more difficult for people by tightening their finances even further.”
You May Also Enjoy
More affordable locations grew most in price in 2025
New analysis of the 2025 market highlights that lower-priced locations grew the most in asking prices during 2025 as affordability continued to drive buyer behaviour Across the top 50 local areas where property asking prices grew the most last year, only seven are priced above the current national average of £368,031 Hawick in Roxburghshire in…
Read More 
UK Gov announcement capping ground rents at £250
The Government has announced that it will cap ground rents at £250 per year in England and Wales, as part of changes to the leasehold system. The measures announced by the Prime Minister aim to give homeowners greater control over their properties and include new leasehold flats to be banned and existing leaseholders getting the…
Read More 
Landlords behind the curve on tax changes, and tenants could pay the price
Millions of renters are facing another cost-of-living hit, thanks to a botched tax overhaul and landlords who admit they don’t know what they’re doing. A new survey suggests most landlords are woefully unprepared for Making Tax Digital (MTD), a government tax overhaul due to begin this April. Just 1 in 8 landlords say they understand…
Read More 
Rental Inflation Grinds to a Halt as Rent Controls Arrive in Scotland
Rental growth falls close to zero at just 0.2% Rents fall in real terms as new Act gives rise to controls Caution advised for future council market analyses National rental growth falls to near zero as new rent control powers land in Scotland’s Private Rented Sector. The latest Citylets report shows the rate of…
Read More 
Buying schemes remain in high demand but short supply across England
The latest research from Yopa, the full-service estate agents, reveals that whilst buying schemes designed to to help homebuyers onto the ladder are in high demand, the stock availability of properties with such offerings is low. Yopa has analysed the current market for for-sale housing stock in England, looking at what proportion of homes currently…
Read More 
Draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill
ALEP (the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners) has welcomed the publication of the Draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill, describing it as an important step in the government’s long stated aim to modernise tenure structures in England and Wales. The draft Bill, published as a policy paper, sets out to reinvigorate and reform the commonhold…
Read More