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
Section 21 reform divides landlords and tenants
Five months after Section 21 was abolished, landlords and tenants remain sharply divided over whether the reform was necessary, but both sides agree that good relationships and clear communication have the greatest influence on how secure a renter feels, according to new research from LRG. The Autumn 2026 Lettings Report, based on responses from 405…
Read More 
70% of landlords anticipate rent rise due to Autumn Budget
As landlord exodus threatens rental supply The latest research from LegalforLandlords has found that 70% of UK landlords are considering increasing rents following the Government’s latest property income tax changes, while almost half are considering selling properties or reducing their portfolios, raising concerns about the future availability and affordability of privately rented homes. LegalforLandlords commissioned…
Read More 
Estate agent earnings fails to keep pace with inflation
Estate agency earnings have failed to keep pace with inflation over the last decade, despite more positive growth in recent years, according to the latest industry analysis from eXp UK, highlighting why more agents may be looking towards the self-employed model to maximise their earning potential. eXp UK analysed Office for National Statistics (ONS) data…
Read More 
Southern landlords face up to £22,000 tax hit
Landlords in the South East could pay more than £22,000 extra tax over 25 years, with those in the South West facing more than £19,000 Property income tax hike squeezes a generation that has turned to bricks and mortar to fund retirement Retirees across the South of England who rely on property to supplement their…
Read More 
Corporate landlords cautiously optimistic after first six months of RRA
Impact of Renters’ Rights Act not as bad as feared for professional investors More than four in five (82%) corporate landlords looking to expand Analysis of data from LRG’s Living Markets division reveals that after six months in force, the Renters’ Rights Act is yet to have any significant negative impact on the corporate landlords…
Read More 
Property market has failed to meet expectations
Two-thirds of developers say property market has failed to meet expectations as Autumn Budget fails to boost confidence Jonathan Samuels, CEO of specialist lender, Octane Capital, believes that the Autumn Budget has done little to restore confidence across the UK development sector, with the firm’s latest industry insight revealing that 67% of developers feel property…
Read More