Are REIT’s A Viable Exit Strategy For UK Landlords?

Are REIT’s A Viable Exit Strategy For UK Landlords?

14:35 PM, 8th June 2018, About 6 years ago 82

Text Size

If you’re looking to continue to enjoy income and the potential for capital appreciation from property investment – without the hassle – a REIT is one of the solutions to facilitate this without the worry of ongoing maintenance, management tasks and ever changing regulations.

Perhaps you’re worried about the challenges posed to Buy-To-Let (BTL) landlords but you are reluctant to walk away from the income and the prospects of further capital appreciation.

I have started this discussion thread to introduce Tom Tennant, Chief Executive of one of the UK’s leading residential REIT providers. Tom has also very kindly agreed to participate in the commenting section of this article, to answer any questions Property118 members would like to raise publicly. Also, at the bottom of this article is a contact form to enable you to request a call with Tom offline.

To follow this discussion, please leave a comment and then subscribe the the comment notifications email. You comment can be anything from a detailed question or simply the word “following”.

What Is A Real-Estate-Investment-Trust?

A Real-Estate-Investment-Trust (REIT) is a highly regulated company, listed on a stock exchange, which owns and manages a diverse portfolio of properties.

REIT’s attract investment in two ways. The first is people who want to invest cash into the property market without the associated hassle of direct ownership of property. The second is to acquire existing property businesses in exchange for shares in the REIT. It is the latter of these which I think could be of interest to Property118 readers, in particular, those considering exiting the Private Rented sector but reluctant to so because they wouldn’t know where else to obtain the same returns as in property. For some landlords, it may be effective to sell their entire property portfolio to a REIT, swapping their equity for shares. In certain cases, this can be extremely effective because the transaction might also quality for CGT rollover relief under TCGA92/S162, also knows as ‘incorporation relief

Qualifying criteria

As a very rough guideline, if your mortgage balances are greater than 15 times your existing yearly rental income or your LTV is greater than 65% it is less likely that a REIT provider will be interested in transacting with you, i.e. buying your property portfolio.

Tax Relief and returns

If your rental portfolio meets HMRC’s definition of being a business you could sell your business to a REIT in exchange for shares. Rolling your capital gains into those shares can be particularly attractive, as can selling the ‘whole business’ in a single transaction with tenants in situ.

The REIT provider is compelled to distribute 90% of pooled rental profits back to its shareholders pro-rata to their shareholdings. Shares are on a listed stock exchange and may be sold at the market value at any time. Capital appreciation of properties within the REIT, as well as its dividend levels, obviously sets the market value of the shares.

Show Form To Contact Tom Tennant Offline

Form To Contact Tom Tennant Offline

Please enter your details here and we will arrange for Tom to contact you directly

  • Hidden

Share This Article


Comments

Tom Tennant - REIT Providor

20:01 PM, 8th June 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by sam at 08/06/2018 - 19:42
Hi Sam,
Thanks for your comment
1) We converted to a REIT in December 2017, but the company was founded in 1981 by my Father, Peter Tennant FRICS, who has over 60 years of property experience as a Chartered Surveyor, Estate Agent (he owned his own practice in Kensington) and Investor. I have been in property for 12 years, I have a Real Estate Management Degree and spent four years working in Commercial Property Agency for Lambert Smith Hampton. I started working with my Father in 2011. Our Non Executive Director, Ed Mead FRICS, used to run Douglas and Gordon Estate Agency in London. We are very much "property" people. We have put all our properties, c£10million in value, into the REIT as we believe in what we are doing.

2) We are targetting a return of 5-8%

3) To be honest, I would need more information before giving you exact figures. Perhaps you could fill in the contact form and we can have a chat?

All the best,
Tom

Sam Wong

20:13 PM, 8th June 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Mark Alexander at 08/06/2018 - 19:57
Yes I see.
Now that you mention it, dont make much sense to me either !
My original thought was,
- If my portfolio is valued and sold at the purchase price, I assume there would be no CGT liability.
- If the value of my portfolio had gone up by 250%, then I would have a huge CGT liability when I make the sale.
But then that CGT would remain as my problem after the sale - even with rollover relief.
The only way I know to get rid of the problem is to get out of the country for 5 years - unless you can equalise with an equally huge loss elsewhere. Or 'die' as CGT dies with death and IHT takes over - but then dying seems a bit drastic just to avoid paying a bit of tax. Not to be recommended !

Tom Tennant - REIT Providor

20:16 PM, 8th June 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by sam at 08/06/2018 - 20:13
CGT can be deferred until you sell the shares in the REIT, meaning you can take advantage of your annual CGT allowance and slowly sell down your share holding. However, for this to happen you need to qualify for Section 162 by proving to HMRC that you are running your portfolio as a business.

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

20:24 PM, 8th June 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by sam at 08/06/2018 - 20:13
LOL - I use the "death is a bummer of a way to get out of paying your taxes" joke when I do presentations. That's very rare these days though because I took one of your other options and now live in Malta as a tax exile!

Sam Wong

20:40 PM, 8th June 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Tom Tennant - REIT Providor at 08/06/2018 - 20:16
Thanks. I wish. I know it is a happy problem but £12k x 2 a year, between my wife and I, will take about a few hundred years longer than the time I have left on this earth !

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

20:49 PM, 8th June 2018, About 6 years ago

It’s £11,700 a year of annual CGT exemption allowance. That’s the level of gain, NOT the level of encashment. For example, depending on your numbers you might be able to encase £100,000 a year and still not use all of your annual CGT exemption allowance.

To all considering this option, I strongly recommend a Tax Consultation first. Please see http://www.Property118.com/Tax

Sam Wong

20:56 PM, 8th June 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Mark Alexander at 08/06/2018 - 20:24
I know a guy who migrated to Malta after he made about £100m - years ago. The price was leaving his family behind in UK and live a lonely existence in Malta. Thats not an option for me as I would rather pay tax than leave my 2 grand daughters behind. No contest. I suspect I am not alone in thinking thus. Besides, getting rid of money before death and the taxman come a calling can be quite interesting - the trick is not to take it too seriously.

Sam Wong

21:11 PM, 8th June 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Mark Alexander at 08/06/2018 - 20:49
Yes. I know.
And then 40% IHT on top of it - after the nil rate band is exceeded.
Honestly, this government is mad - albeit better than in the 80s when Michael Cairn famously said he couldnt afford to buy a pint as it would cost him £100 each ! Today, dying is just as expensive - 45% income tax + 40% IHT + 20% vat ! Ouch.

Might take you up on it when I take my girls to Malta in July.

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

21:32 PM, 8th June 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by sam at 08/06/2018 - 21:11
Malta is hotter than Hell in July. Good luck with that!

We escape July and August.

Sam Wong

23:39 PM, 8th June 2018, About 6 years ago

Ah ! Too much of a good thing ? Thought thats why you chose the place.
I would have thought 27C with sea breeze and low humidity is just what a Brit would die for.

Leave Comments

In order to post comments you will need to Sign In or Sign Up for a FREE Membership

or

Don't have an account? Sign Up

Landlord Tax Planning Book Now