Comments on BTL regulation

According to Stefatheno Silvestrin, senior economist at the the Nationwide Building Society who was  speaking at the the Financial Services Expo (FSE) London on Wednesday, the curbing of tax relief on interest-only buy-to-let mortgages for landlords by  George Osborne is unlikely to have a major impact on activity in the sector.

Silvestrin said the decision to cut the tax relief that higher-rate taxpayers could claim down to a basic rate level over the next four years may have a dampening effect, he was not so sure though it would have a major effect and that the  buy-to-let market would continue along its current path with modest growth.

His view was that further regulation of the sector was looking likely,  saying  that the financial regulators could act further in the buy-to-let sector if they believed that lending levels were getting too high and the sector was securing too great a proportion of total lending.

 

Allen Walkey

Highly experienced businessman with a successful career in property sales and investment both in the UK and abroad. Now a freelance writer and blogger for the property and Investment Industry, keeping readers up-to-date with changes and events in a rapidly changing world.

You May Also Enjoy

Home and Living

10 Common Carpet Stains and How to Remove Them

Carpets rarely get dirty in one obvious moment. It’s usually something you don’t notice right away. A bit of coffee in the morning when you’re half awake. Someone walks in with slightly wet shoes. Something small gets dropped during dinner and wiped quickly, but not completely. None of it feels important at the time. Then,…
Read More
bank of england interest rate
Breaking News

Industry Response to Bank of England Rate Hold

The Bank of England has just announced its decision to hold the base rate at 3.75%. This decision comes as a result of wider economic uncertainty and inflation (CPI) increasing to 3.3% in March and remaining above the Bank’s 2.0% target.   Matt Smith, Rightmove’s mortgage expert “A Bank Rate hold is actually positive news…
Read More
Letting Agent Talk

England’s non-decent homes could fall by 20%, but it will cost £1.43bn

The latest insight from Inventory Base indicates that the number of non-decent homes in England could be reduced by 20% over the next ten years. However, the sector must recognise that even this modest and achievable reduction would come at a substantial cost of £1.43 billion.   Inventory Base’s analysis of government data shows that,…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

Agents face growing stock backlog as slower market leaves more homes unsold

The latest research by GetAgent has revealed that estate agents are facing a growing backlog of unsold homes as the proportion of stock being converted into sales has fallen across almost every region of the market over the last year.   GetAgent analysed current sales turnover rates across the market, measuring the number of homes…
Read More
what is happening to house prices
Breaking News

Renters’ Rights Act – What landlords should do now

On 1st May 2026, the first raft of measures in the Renters’ Rights Act (RRA) come into force in England. Here are the key changes to be aware of and steps landlords need to take:   Periodic ‘rolling’ tenancies will replace fixed-term tenancies. The common minimum six or 12-month commitments will disappear, and tenants will…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Renting cheaper than a mortgage for first time since June 2025

The cost of renting a typical home in Great Britain is cheaper than the average monthly mortgage payment for the first time since June 2025 due to higher average mortgage rates The average advertised monthly rent across Great Britain is currently £1,547. This compares to an average new monthly mortgage payment of £1,670 – meaning…
Read More