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18:34 PM, 3rd August 2015, About 9 years ago 111
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As part of our campaign to reverse the Government’s Budget proposals restricting finance cost relief for individual landlords we are aiming to lobby all MPs in the UK – and as many times as possible.
We are asking that everyone who is against this proposal firstly signs this petition: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/104880
Secondly, and as importantly, we are asking that you write to your MP and preferably follow this up with a visit to your MP’s surgery.
It will be the case for some that you may live in one constituency and have rental houses in other constituencies. Please send emails to all the MPs that are applicable to you.
In order to keep track and make sure we leave no-one out, can you please post in the comments section below the following details:
1. Name of MP contacted via email/letter.
2. Constituency of the MP.
3. Date(s) letters/emails sent.
4. Whether you have spoken to the MP face-to-face and/or made an appointment to see him/her in their surgery.
If you get any response other than an automated reply or acknowledgement, please paste the text in the comments section below, remembering to ensure the full name of the MP and Constituency is included.
Also, later on (bearing in mind MPs’ absences during the summer recess), please also report back on their attitude towards the Budget proposal.
I will be keeping a spreadsheet, to make sure we miss no-one out.
Contacting MPs and persuading them of our case is going to be key to our success in overturning this illogical, unjust and discriminatory proposal. You may be the only person who writes to your MP, so it is very important not to assume someone else will already have done so.
We should especially be looking out for MPs who might be willing to champion our cause as well as those who will be willing to vote against the Finance Bill. If you feel your MP falls into this category, please let us know in the comments section below.
The following is a link to a website with contact details of your MP >>> https://www.writetothem.com/
Below is a sample email/letter to MP’s you may wish to adapt, if you don’t have the time to write one from scratch:
Adjust as necessary, e.g. if you are not a constituent but own property in the constituency, or if you want to add something about the MP’s party’s stance on it etc.
Dear [Name of MP]
I am writing to you as one of your constituents, my address is [ add your address and postcode here]
I am writing with regard to the latest attack on landlords in the Budget, through the proposals to restrict ‘tax relief’ for landlords. Many landlords have been confused about the terminology “tax relief”, so many still don’t realise the effects this would have on their businesses and on the wider economy.
Aafter seeking clarification from HMRC, I have realised that what is really being proposed is that the cost of interest, which is our biggest cost in running our businesses, has been re-defined as ‘income,’ which can be taxed. Obviously, this makes no sense, and this is the verdict of the chief economists who reported to the Treasury Select Committee on the Summer Budget.
If this is to be a new principle of taxation, why aren’t all businesses in the UK facing this bizarre proposal?
Buy-to-let is not a simple, ‘hands-off investment’ as it is sometimes portrayed; it is a very labour-intensive business, often very stressful and for many of us constitutes a full-time job, whereby we work and are on call 7 days a week, including evenings.
Unfortunately, the failure to understand our business (ignorance, by another word), has led to the Government announcing this illogical and unjust proposal.
I am hoping you can use your influence and your vote to help quash this measure.
You will find more details of the proposal on this link to the Property118 landlords forum – LINK >>> http://www.property118.com/?p=76936
The information there will help you to be fully informed, but if you have any questions please let me know and I will endeavour to answer them.
I will be coming to meet you soon at one of your surgeries to discuss this in person.
Yours sincerely
[add your name here]
YOUR Money, YOUR future, YOUR choice.
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Lisa S
22:00 PM, 20th August 2015, About 9 years ago
Reply to the comment left by "BTL INVESTOR SCOTLAND" at "20/08/2015 - 20:09":
Wow!
The NLA are finally doing something.....the briefing paper takes a little reading....and apart from the 'effect' which I think should have read as 'affect' it seemed quite good. Although it didn't mention that some basic rate tax payers will be pushed up to a higher rate.
I'll probably have to read it a few more times to take it all in.
Dr Rosalind Beck
22:11 PM, 20th August 2015, About 9 years ago
Reply to the comment left by "BTL INVESTOR SCOTLAND" at "20/08/2015 - 20:09":
Thanks BTL. I just read through the Briefing paper which I believe is very good. I'm always a bit concerned when people mention it applying to 'new finance' and would prefer it to say 'finance for new purchases' as we don't want to be stuck with non-competitive mortgages - but other than that, I thought it was great. Very encouraging. I'm going to ask them if they will also circulate the petition. Good stuff.
Nitzan
20:29 PM, 1st September 2015, About 9 years ago
1. Name of MP contacted via email/letter - Theresa Villiers
2. Constituency of the MP - Chipping Barnet
3. Date(s) letters/emails sent - 31/8/2015
4. Whether you have spoken to the MP face-to-face and/or made an appointment to see him/her in their surgery - no
I'm confused - is it effective to write to MPs of constituencies where my properties are or not?
Dr Rosalind Beck
20:40 PM, 1st September 2015, About 9 years ago
Reply to the comment left by "Nitzan Marinov" at "01/09/2015 - 20:29":
Hi Nitzan.
It's my understanding that they won't answer you if you're not their constituent, but some people have said they have still written. Actually, if you have the time I'd say it was worth it (although I haven't done it myself yet!) as they are still likely to read it - especially if it's an email and you don't give your address, but just say you are a landlord in their area. That is legitimate, as if you give notice to tenants in several houses that is an issue in their constituency and they should know what the cause of it is. So I've just persuaded myself to do it now; so you asked a good question. The main thing is to get the message to as many MPs as possible - and it's not that necessary to get a reply. We can still influence without getting a reply. And considering it is very possible that many MPs haven't been written to, if people are willing to write to a few more, then all the better.
Nitzan
21:41 PM, 1st September 2015, About 9 years ago
Reply to the comment left by "Ros ." at "01/09/2015 - 20:40":
Thanks, Ros and thanks for all the work you're doing!
Big Blue
10:14 AM, 2nd September 2015, About 9 years ago
Reply to the comment left by "Mark Alexander" at "03/08/2015 - 18:41":
Had a face to face with Stephen McPartland (Con, Stevenage) who says it seems mad and will vote against it at every opportunity. He also gave me some good advice about the committee stage of the decision which finishes on Tuesday! (8 Sept). The NLA are aware and keenly lobbying the relevant MPs.
I also wrote to every letting agent in a 5 mile radius to explain the news and get them to sign the petition.
Big Blue
10:17 AM, 2nd September 2015, About 9 years ago
Reply to the comment left by "James Fraser" at "02/09/2015 - 10:14":
One other thing - 16% of labour MPs, 20% of Liberal and 24% of Conservatives are private landlords. Many more rent property as tenants. Surely these individual MPs aren't thrilled about it either?!
Big Blue
10:24 AM, 2nd September 2015, About 9 years ago
Reply to the comment left by "Ros ." at "20/08/2015 - 22:11":
I've asked them to do that but unfortunately they're not so keen on the petition for some reason.
Dr Rosalind Beck
12:36 PM, 2nd September 2015, About 9 years ago
Reply to the comment left by "James Fraser" at "02/09/2015 - 10:24":
Hi James.
Great stuff about your MP - we now need him to persuade other MPs about how mad it is. If we get a Parliamentary debate we'll be reliant on MPs like him.
Re. the NLA not circulating the petition, are they mad? We didn't get the wording we wanted, because while we were consulting on it, Ruhal put his in - but we just then backed his; which is obviously the right thing to do. Has the NLA said why they won't back one of the key vehicles for raising awareness about this issue?
Big Blue
12:46 PM, 2nd September 2015, About 9 years ago
Reply to the comment left by "Ros ." at "02/09/2015 - 12:36":
I perhaps ought not to comment publicly on their exact words, but I couldn't really understand their position as to why not. It seems obvious to me that everyone, especially their 60,000 supporters, should get on board. I'll be in their office on Friday - will ask them again.