Tag Archives: budget
More details of UK buy to let extra stamp duty charge revealed
Details of how the new stamp duty surcharge on additional homes in the UK have now been provided by the Treasury following Chancellor George Osbourne’s Budget speech. From 01 April anyone buying an additional property, whether as a second home or a buy to let investment will pay an extra 3% in stamp duty. Sales completes before midnight on 31 March 2016 will not be liable for the extra charge and transactions where contracts were exchanged before 25 November 2015 will not be liable, even if completion takes part on or after 01 April. It means stamp duty for an additional home worth up to £125,000 will be charged at 3% whereas before it was zero. Properties sold at £125,000 to £250,000 will be subject to 5% charge, up from 2%. Those prices £250,000 to £925,000 8%, previously 5%, from £925,000 to £1.5 million a rise to 13% and those over that a 15% charge. The time limit for those who own two properties temporarily because they could not sell their main residence before buying another main residence has been extended from 18 to 36 months This means those who buy a new main residence without have sold their previous one will pay the additional stamp duty, but if they sell their previous residence within 36 months, they can claim a refund. Owners of multiple properties will also have 36 months to replace their main residence without incurring the extra 3% charge. The 36 month period will begin from 25 November 2015 for purchasers who disposed of their previous main residence prior to the Autumn Statement where the extra charge was announced. Couples who are separated will be treated as ‘separate entities’ in terms of property ownership. ‘The government will not treat married couples as one unit if they are separated in circumstances that are likely to be permanent,’ the Treasury document says. As announced by Osbourne on Wednesday large scale buy to let investors will be liable for the additional charge. This is despite the Chancellor initially saying that those buying more than 15 properties would be exempt. Buyers will declare their status as existing property owners or not when filling in the Stamp Duty paperwork on the purchase of a property. The Chancellor expects the additional 3% duty to raise £3.7 billion for the Treasury over the next five years. Continue reading
Mortgage lending in UK fell in February month on month, no big change expected
Gross mortgage lending reached £17.6 billion in February, some 5% lower than January but 30% higher than February last year, according to the latest estimates from the Council of Mortgage Lenders. It is, however, the highest lending total for a February since 2008 when gross lending reached £24.1 billion. ‘Lending continues the year on a positive note, with our monthly estimate showing an increase of 30% in February compared to a year ago. This growth rate is in line with what we saw in the closing months of 2015,’ said CML economist Mohammad Jamei. He explained that the recovery is being underpinned by market fundamentals in the UK, as wages grow and unemployment falls, helped by government schemes and competitive mortgage deals but the CML thinks it is unlikely that there will be any significant acceleration in lending. ‘While there may be a slight current boost to lending as some transactions seek to complete before the 01 April tax changes in the buy to let sector, this is likely to be followed by a slight fall in activity. Affordability pressures continue to weigh on activity, as does the low number of properties coming on the market, though this has been improving very recently,’ he added. Andy Knee, chief executive of LMS, believes that apart from a slight dip in activity expected following the April tax changes, all factors are working in the mortgage market’s favour. ‘Despite a delay in the base rate rise, the remortgage market in particular is likely to continue unabated, with home owners sitting on record housing equity and capitalising on the hugely competitive rates currently available,’ he pointed out. According to Peter Rollings, chief executive officer of Marsh & Parsons, once the April deadline passes it will quickly revert to business as usual, and a subsidence in buy to let borrowing will likely water down the growth in the mortgage market. ‘The Chancellor is certainly laying the long-term foundations for future mortgage lending levels, with the Lifetime ISA announcement just the latest guise to help first time buyers save up for a deposit and get onto the property ladder,’ he said. ‘But these savers are a long way down the pipeline, and in the immediate term, borrowing is more likely to feel the brunt of measures affecting the buy to let market. Property investors were completely overlooked in the Budget, and the Chancellor’s move to exclude landlords from the tax break on capital gains seems at odds with the need for greater supply of property on the market. Any measure that discourages and disincentives selling homes is not helpful in the current climate, and for buyers trying to keep track of house prices,’ he added. Continue reading
UK’s fledgling Build to Rent sector dealt stamp duty blow
The UK’s fledgling Build to Rent sector has been dealt a blow with the announcement that large investors will not be exempt from a new extra stamp duty surcharge that is introduced in a few weeks’ time. From 01 April there will be an extra 3% stamp duty payable on additional homes and it has been hoped that those investing in more than 15 properties would be exempt, and Chancellor George Osborne had indeed hinted at this. However, in his Budget announcement he confirmed that large scale investors in buy to let properties will pay the extra 3% which will apply equally to purchases by individuals and corporate investors. Melanie Leech, chief executive of the British Property Federation, said the move would hit the private rented sector. ‘The government’s decision to not include an exemption for investors who are purchasing large portfolios of properties for rent is extremely disappointing, and deals a huge blow to the build to rent sector,’ she pointed out. ‘This is going to be a significant deterrent to the institutional investment currently poised to settle in the purpose-built rented sector, which has the opportunity to deliver a significant number of new, quality affordable homes,’ she added. The failure to give relief from the additional stamp duty levy for large investors could inhibit the development of a much needed institutional private rented sector, according to Lucian Cook, Savills UK head of residential research. ‘While purchases of six or more residential properties can be treated as a non-residential transaction, the reform of stamp duty on commercial properties is likely mean greater entry costs for large scale residential investors one way or another. Our recent analysis suggests there will be demand for another one million private rented households in the next five years despite policies to boost home ownership,’ he explained. Investors could be put off, according to several experts, including Steve Sanham, development director at HUB. ‘A threshold on how many homes the stamp duty surcharge applies to is also crucial for institutional landlords and investors. The aim of delivering more homes will not be achieved if investors are put off from creating large developments of new homes to begin with,’ he said. Elizabeth Bradley, head of the corporate tax team at international law firm Berwin Leighton Paisner, also believes investors will be discouraged. ‘Much of the British property industry will be very disappointed with the Budget changes,’ she said. ‘The Chancellor has acknowledged the need to build more homes but the extension of the extra SDLT rate on buy to let to large investors will discourage investment in the private rented sector,’ she added. Continue reading
