UK Mortgage & Property Related News
A new survey appears to lift the lid on why landlords remain in buy to let, despite the tax and regulatory controls now making the sector so challenging.
Paragon Bank surveyed 500 landlords with up to three properties and with declared ambitions to build larger portfolios.
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This is the message from mortgage lender Skipton Building Society which has reacted to the Labour announcement all landlords must meet an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of Band C by 2030.
The building society is offering and delivering free EPC Plus assessments to all of its members to help improve energy efficiency awareness.
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Three of the top five landlords in parliament are now Labour MPs, reflecting the shifting make-up of the ruling party ahead of major plans to tackle rental reform in government.
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AHMRC crackdown on buy-to-let tax scheme is panicking landlords, according to reports. Property 118 claimed to offer a way round stamp duty and capital gains tax amid a HMRC crackdown and clampdown, according to the I.
But it was served with a “stop notice” by the taxman last month, meaning it must immediately stop promoting its schemes. This follows a decision in February to issue what’s known as “reference numbers” to its arrangements, a signal that HMRC believes the schemes equate to tax avoidance.
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Landlords are not reaping as bigger benefit from recent mortgage rate cuts as those who live in their own homes, analysis shows.
The interest rates on fixed home loans have been dropping for weeks after falls in inflation and a cut in interest rates by the Bank of England.
Falls have been seen across all types of mortgage, but the more dramatic drops have been seen on residential deals.
Experts have said the trend is due to a combination of buy-to-let mortgages being seen as riskier for lenders, and greater competition in the residential market.
According to data from Moneyfacts analysed by i, at the start of July, the average five-year fixed residential mortgage at 75 per cent loan-to-value (LTV) – meaning a deposit or equity of 25 per cent – stood at 5.39 per cent. For the equivalent buy-to-let mortgage, the rate was 5.59 per cent.
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The market is witnessing a significant shift as a number of landlords exit due to increasing legislative pressures, tax liabilities and the removal of mortgage relief, says Antony Lark, joint CEO of estate agency and lettings group Spicerhaart.
Rents have begun to stabilise, despite the exodus of landlords from the sector and resistance over rent reductions, says Lark.
He explained: “We’re noticing that the level of landlords leaving is higher than anticipated – particularly among those who’ve retired, who need the money to meet rising living costs, or are helping children buy first homes, or who’ve concerns over inheritance tax.
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