As if George Osborne’s announcement in the summer budget of the phasing out of higher-rate tax relief on landlords’ interest payments wasn’t enough, last month’s Autumn Statement introduced a further fiscal double whammy for landlords which could have major consequences for the residential property market.
Firstly, higher rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) will be charged on purchases of additional rental property (above £40,000) from 1 April 2016 aimed specifically at buy-to-let properties and second homes. The higher rates will be three percentage points above current SDLT rates and the exclusion of companies from the charge indicates that the Government sees the freeing up of residential property currently in private hands as key to its housing policy.
So, there will be pain on the way into the buy-to-let market through SDLT and a second announcement in the Statement revealed an unwelcome Capital Gains Tax (CGT) surprise on exit. From April 2019, a payment on account of any CGT on the disposal of residential property will be due just 30 days after completion. This compares to the current rules where the settlement of the tax due can be anything up to 21 months after disposal depending when in the fiscal year the sale occurs.
What will the affect be on the property market? Clearly landlords who have maximised their borrowings with a view to enjoying capital growth may now seek to restrict their financial exposure by disposing of parts of their property portfolios. Where such properties are standing at a gain, disposal before the CGT acceleration is due will clearly be advisable.
