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Em Morley

New-buy-to-let tax break proposed by MP

Published On: September 5, 2016 at 8:51 am

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Categories: Finance News

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A Conservative MP has called for a reduction in capital gains tax paid by buy-to-let landlords who sell their rental property to sitting tenants.

Kevin Hollinrake, founder of franchise agency Hunters, made his call through an amendment to the Finance Bill.

Tax alterations

In this year’s Budget, former Chancellor George Osborne announced that the 28% rate of capital gains tax would be slashed to 20% for most assets. However, he did not include residential property in this list.

Industry professionals have repeatedly complained about this exception, particularly as it comes on top of alterations to mortgage interest tax relief and Wear and Tear allowance.

Before the proposed amendment by Mr Hollinrake, the Residential Landlords Association called for an exception to encourage landlords ready to sell properties to do so.

Research from the Residential Landlords Association discovered that 77% of private landlords would think about selling their property to tenants, should tax liability be amended.

New-buy-to-let tax break proposed by MP

New-buy-to-let tax break proposed by MP

Future considerations

Policy director at the Residential Landlords Association, David Smith, said, ‘many landlords are now considering their future in the market following recent tax increases whilst others will be looking to sell as part of the natural churn of properties in the rental market.’[1]

‘This amendment would help achieve the Government’s aim of encouraging and supporting home ownership for aspiring first-time buyers whilst easing some of the excessive tax burdens recently placed on landlords,’ Smith added.[2]

[1] https://www.lettingagenttoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2016/9/agency-chief-turned-mp-is-calling-for-new-buy-to-let-tax-break

 

Government Helping People Buy Rather than Building New Homes, Warns Report

Published On: September 5, 2016 at 8:37 am

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Categories: Property News

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The Government is spending more money on helping people buy their own houses, rather than building new homes that the country desperately needs, according to a new report from housing charity Shelter.

Government Helping People Buy Rather than Building New Homes, Warns Report

Government Helping People Buy Rather than Building New Homes, Warns Report

Around 65% (£28.7 billion) of the £44.75 billion available to private developers from the Government is for helping people buy their own homes, compared to the £16.05 billion (35%) set aside for actually building new homes, found the study.

Shelter believes that this disparity in spending is pushing up house prices. It has called on Theresa May’s new Government to put more resources into housebuilding.

The Senior Policy Officer at Shelter, Pete Jeffreys, says: “Too much taxpayer money is going into schemes that risk pushing house prices up, even further out of reach for ordinary families, instead of getting new homes built.

“Rather than repeat the mistakes of the past and prop up a market which hasn’t delivered, this Government has the chance to face things head on and put in place measures that will not only stimulate housebuilding, but boost the economy as well.”

Jeffreys adds that the country must see significant reform of the housebuilding sector to build the homes that are needed to reach the Government’s target of one million new homes by 2020. Former Prime Minister David Cameron made the pledge back in September last year.

Shelter has calculated how much of the Government’s money is being spent on the demand side of the property market, through schemes such as Help to Buy and the Lifetime ISA.

On the supply side, schemes such as Rent to Buy, the Home Building Fund and New Homes Bonus are going towards building new homes.

The report, Achieving the ambition: Building one million homes this Parliament, concludes that strong reform and investment is necessary for the Government to achieve its 2020 goal.

“Nothing less will successfully overcome the structural weaknesses of our housebuilding system,” insists the charity.

A full list of the schemes included in the analysis is below, specifying whether they focus on supply or demand.

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Rental property supply at highest level so far in 2016

Published On: September 3, 2016 at 9:06 am

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Categories: Property News

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The total number of rental properties available through letting agents is at its highest level so far during 2016, according to a report from the Association of Residential Letting Agents.

In July, the number of  properties on letting agents’ books stood at 184, a rise of 5%. This has moved to reassure a number of worried would-be tenants who were fearful off a post-Brexit drop.

Year-on-year however, supply is actually down. In July 2015, the number of properties available through letting agents stood at 189-three percent higher than this year.

Rental reaction

During July, the majority of agents recorded little change to rental prices, supply of property and demand from tenants. 71% saw no alteration in rents, with 62% seeing no movement in supply. 61% said that they hadn’t seen any substantial change in demand.

44% of agents reported that there was a slight sense of uncertainty from landlords looking to let properties.

Rental property supply at highest level so far in 2016

Rental property supply at highest level so far in 2016

David Cox, managing director at the Association of Residential Letting Agents noted, ‘despite reports that the housing market is spiralling out of control post-Brexit, our results paint a very different picture and indicate that the future is bright for the rental market. Supply is up, as we’d expect at this time of year and the number of tenants experiencing rent hikes hasn’t changed in three months. While we obviously need new houses to balance the growing gap between supply and demand, what’s positive is that the situation isn’t worsening as a direct result of June’s Brexit result.’[1]

[1] http://www.propertyreporter.co.uk/landlords/rental-property-supply-at-highest-level-this-year.html

 

Are Government housing schemes driving prices up?

Published On: September 2, 2016 at 10:04 am

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Categories: Property News

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In excess of two-thirds of Government spending on incentives designed to encourage buyers, such as Help to Buy, have failed to increase housing stock, according to new claims.

Despite increasing demand for property, these sort of schemes have only served to add to the supply-demand imbalance, putting upward pressure on prices, according to Shelter.

Failed focus

The charity organisation has slammed the Government for spending most of its property funding on house-buying incentive programmes. This money, according to Shelter, could have been better being put towards increasing the supply of housing stock, including affordable housing.

Shelter argues that the Government’s housing strategy has only increased demand to buy property and has moved property prices up, while failing to front up to the shortage of homes in Britain.

Latest figures from Nationwide indicate that residential property prices continued to rise in August. Values rose by 0.6% month-on-month to hit an average of £206,145, largely due to a fall in the number of properties for sale.

Are Government housing schemes driving prices up?

Are Government housing schemes driving prices up?

Stable

Chief economist at the Nationwide, Robert Gardner, noted, ‘surveyors report that instruction to sell have declined and the stock of properties on the market remains close to 30 year lows. This helps to explain why the pace of house price growth has remained broadly stable.’[1]

Early this week, Peter Jeffreys, a senior policy analyst at Shelter, told the Daily Telegraph that new prime minister Theresa May has a chance to increase supply of homes. However, he warns that this can only be done if there is a substantial reform of the house-building sector, including local authority planning sections.

In 2015, there were approximately 120,000 new homes built in Britain. This is less than half of the 250,000 per year the Government feels is needed to solve the crisis.

[1] https://www.propertyinvestortoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2016/8/government-housing-schemes-are-pushing-up-house-prices

 

 

Landlords, Save Up to £1,600 a Year with New Digital Management Agency

Published On: September 2, 2016 at 9:16 am

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Categories: Landlord News

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Landlords, did you know that a new digital management agency has now launched, which will help you save up to £1,600 a year in fees?

NoAgent.co.uk uses technology to automate the marketing, administration and maintenance of its rental properties, as well as supplying 24/7 support from experienced property professionals.

So how does the new management agency work?

Free marketing

No Agent offers free advertising on the UK’s major property portals (Rightmove, Zoopla, etc.), granting access to a much wider audience without using local letting agents.

No extra fees

A simple fee structure means that landlords are charged just £39 per month for London properties and £29 a month outside of the capital. Landlords and tenants face no additional fees. Furthermore, landlords aren’t tied into a long-term contract and can cancel at any time.

Landlords, Save Up to £1,600 a Year with New Digital Management Agency

Landlords, Save Up to £1,600 a Year with New Digital Management Agency

No paperwork 

Landlords can manage their properties using a real-time dashboard. All administration is handled online or through No Agent’s 24-hour call centre, including viewings, reference and credit checks, contracts, check-in, compliance reminders, maintenance and deposit/rent collection.

Tenants can also use the online system to organise viewings and manage application documents, while also avoiding additional agency fees.

Easy payments

No Agent has introduced direct debit payments, allowing landlords to switch from using standing orders.

Expert advice

Landlords will have instant access to property managers, with an average of five years’ experience, and a legal helpline.

The firm has also announced that veteran property technologist Gillian Kent has joined as Chairman. Her previous roles include CEO of Propertyfinder.com, which was sold to Zoopla in 2009 and integrated into its platform, and Managing Director of MSN UK.

Kent says: “Despite the impact of the digital revolution, property services haven’t fundamentally changed. No Agent is the only service that completely automates a range of essential tasks, such as marketing, bookings, reference checks, maintenance and compliance.

“Strategically, what we’re doing is empowering landlords to fully manage all aspects of the letting of their property, and save money as a direct result. Agencies currently earn £115m a year in fees for doing these sorts of tasks.”

By using technology throughout the lettings process, No Agent can offer industry-leading prices and access to round-the-clock support. This process saves money, time and increases transparency.

“The average monthly rent outside of London is now £779,” Kent points out. “So when you add on standard agency charges like a month’s rent, together with monthly management fees of up to 15%, the first year cost for a landlord is close to £2,000.”

She continues: “By contrast, using No Agent would save them just shy of £1,600. Tenants will also be better off, as we don’t charge for services like drawing up tenancy agreements and credit checks. However, letting agencies now typically charge tenants £337 in fees – many in London are forced to pay over £400.”

Leader of the opposition Corbyn vows to protect private tenants

Published On: September 2, 2016 at 9:08 am

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Categories: Property News

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Leader of the opposition Jeremy Corbyn has put forward plans to introduce a new scheme designed at increasing protection for tenants in privately rented housing.

Should he be elected as Prime Minister in the next general election, Mr Corbyn is to launch the Tenants’ Right Charter. This would include a guarantee of three- year contracts and protections to cover severe rental hikes and unsafe living arrangements.

Plans

This new housing plan is just the latest in a number of policy announcements made by Mr Corbyn as he tries to resist challenges to his leadership by Owen Smith.

Corbyn has recently put forward proposals extending right to buy to tenants in privately rented homes, due to worries that the housing market is proving unaffordable for young people.

In other housing policy proposals, Mr Corbyn has promised that a future Labour government will construct one million new homes by the end of its first term in Parliament. This would cost approximately £10bn and Labour would make sure that half of the homes that are built are council properties.

Leader of the opposition Corbyn vows to protect private tenants

Leader of the opposition Corbyn vows to protect private tenants

Broken

Mr Corbyn noted that, ‘successive governments have failed to fix our broken housing market. Decent housing is a basic human need affecting everything we do and is a significant factor on stress and mental health.’[1]

‘Our homes are where we should feel safe, yet for too many people housing is a source of anxiety-not security. And to a whole generation of our young people, the security of home ownership is rapidly becoming an impossible dream. That is why the next Labour government will reverse a generation of underinvestment in housing, particularly council housing and give the chance of a decent, secure, affordable home back to every family and citizen,’ he added.[1]

[1] https://www.landlordtoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2016/8/jeremy-corbyn-vows-to-better-protect-private-tenants-if-elected-pm