Budget 2016 – Landlord reactions

Budget 2016 – Landlord reactions

14:00 PM, 16th March 2016, About 8 years ago 137

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The Chancellor George Osborne has just delivered his Government’s Budget.

Quick reference details for Landlords Below:

Stamp Duty surcharge of 3% on residential property to apply to all investors regardless of size.

Stamp Duty on commercial property transactions is to be reformed. Our understanding is that bandings will be applied similar to residential property, albeit with a zero rate up to £150k and then 2% of any amount over £150K and up to up to £250K and then 5% of any amount over £250k. As an example, on a property that costs £300,000 the SDLT would be £4,500 – i.e. £0 on the first £150k, 2% on the next £100k (£2,000) and finally 5% on the next £50k (£2,500). If our understanding is correct then this will also impact on on related transactions of 6 or more connected property transactions (e.g. at incorporation of a property portfolio). More on this HERE

Capital Gains Tax Reduced – from 28% to 20% for higher rate tax payers and from 18% to 10% for low rate tax payers from April 2016. However there will be an 8% surcharge on residential property leaving Landlords selling at the same old rate!

Maximum interest relief against profit capped at 30% of turnover, but this is only for the largest companies and will not affect Landlords. This was a concern for Landlords pre-Budget.

Tax free income tax allowance threshold – increased to £11,500 from April 2017

High rate tax threshold – increased to £45,000 from April 2017

Corporation tax – decreased to 17% by 2020

Insurance premium Tax IPT – increased 0.5% and funds raised to be spent on UK flood defences (£700million)

Fuel Duty – Frozen again this year

Class 2 National Insurance for self employed to be scrapped

The Office for Budget Responsibility has downgraded growth forecasts due to external economic headwinds from the uncertainty in the Global economy.

Growth for 2015 was 2.2% but the forecast has reduced from 2.4% to 2.0% in 2016 with 2017 growth of 2.2% and then 2.1% for the following years.

 


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Comments

David Mensah

20:34 PM, 16th March 2016, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Shirleyannn Haig" at "16/03/2016 - 20:30":

I think HMRC were acting on what was written in the proposals; today this has changed and you should be OK. The 36 months only start counting on 25 Nov 2015. Have a good look at what it says.

Mark Shine

20:42 PM, 16th March 2016, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Nicholas Dickinson" at "16/03/2016 - 19:15":

Yes Nicholas. My main concerns are:

1. Why the H should private LLs be forced to behave like Osborne and chums to avoid tax? I mean what they actually DO in terms of their OWN tax avoidance, rather than what they tell the electorate to do.

2. Even before the extra 3% SDLT hike, the current SDLT would be extortionate to transfer high value (yet comparatively low yielding) properties from private / individual ownership to ‘corporate’ ownership?

Nicholas Dickinson

21:12 PM, 16th March 2016, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Mark Shine" at "16/03/2016 - 20:42":

1. I don't see it as force just sensible tax planning. All entirely voluntary but why pay more tax than you have to?

2. Assuming you are incorporating at least 6 properties your SDLT is likely to be 1%.

Steve Wood

21:18 PM, 16th March 2016, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Nicholas Dickinson" at "16/03/2016 - 19:15":

Plus any tax on extraction of profits on dividends or CGT on winding up capital distributions. Generally people have held properties outside of companies to avoid a double tax charge

Steve Wood

21:21 PM, 16th March 2016, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Vanessa Barlow" at "16/03/2016 - 20:30":

What you having a go at the Blairs for? Why is that good? The whole landlord attack is appalling

Nicholas Dickinson

21:26 PM, 16th March 2016, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Steve Wood" at "16/03/2016 - 21:18":

Yes, but also generally people are building portfolios as alternative pension plans and provided you are happy to re-invest surplus profits doing so inside a corporate structure is generally better as a result of all the recent tax changes

Matthew Stuart Haig

21:27 PM, 16th March 2016, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "David Mensah" at "16/03/2016 - 20:34":

Thanks David, I have re written to them today for clarification as me and my hubby both read it differently. I hope you are right, I will be a very happy lady! Fingers crossed!

David Mensah

21:31 PM, 16th March 2016, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Shirleyannn Haig" at "16/03/2016 - 21:27":

keep us updated as to what you hear!

Ethical Man

23:56 PM, 16th March 2016, About 8 years ago

If you look objectively, from the point of view of the government which has to consider the country as a whole, then it is entirely reasonable for capital gains on buy to let properties to be excluded from the CGT cut. The capital gain on buy to let are largely an unearned windfall. A bonus. So quite different from where someone builds up a company, which the government needs to encourage and which deserves to be rewarded.

Steve Wood

0:12 AM, 17th March 2016, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Nicholas Dickinson" at "16/03/2016 - 21:26":

True. Always a personal decision though before as to what your plans were.

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