x
By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies to enhance your experience.
Graham Awards

TODAY'S OTHER NEWS

Agency tells Minister: incentivise buy to let, reverse tax changes

Belvoir is calling on the government to reverse its punitive tax policies against buy to let and introduce incentives to make the sector more attractive to investors. 

 

Dorian Gonsalves, Belvoir’s managing director, says it is clear from analysis of his own group’s 300-plus branches and a string of rental sector indices that the lettings industry is under pressure.

Advertisement

 

Tenant demand is high, especially for the family market where the Belvoir network is reporting a particular shortage of two and three bedroom properties, he says. 

 

“Recent, and in my opinion, disastrous anti-landlord tax policies, which were introduced by George Osborne at the last budget, are likely to continue deterring landlords from further investment in the rental market. As we predicted, this is restricting the supply of available rental properties and resulting in rental increases” warns Gonsalves.

 

“In some areas of the country our franchise owners report that prospective tenants are, without being prompted, submitting bids to landlords of increased rental offers in order to secure the property of their choice. This is purely down to a shortage of accommodation and the problem is unlikely to be resolved without government intervention” he adds.

 

The agency says a recent report by campaigning charity Shelter claims one in three families in England would be unable to pay their rent or mortgage for more than a month if they lost their jobs - increasing rents will only worsen the situation, it says. 

Now Gonsalves is urging Gavin Barwell, the new housing minister, to take swift action and “unpick the disastrous tax policies that were introduced by George Osborne.”

He says Barwell “has an opportunity reverse the situation and create an environment where there is an over-supply of rental properties. This can only be achieved by incentivising landlords and making the rental market more affordable for tenants.”

  • Brit Sixteen Sixty Four

    Increase rents? Landlords have been given extra low mortgages since 2010, interest rates have been cut again this month.
    https://www.lettingagenttoday.co.uk/sign-in
    The problem is landlords are buying up all the residential property removing from resale and reducing supply pushing house prices up. George Osbourne was right to make the changes. Also it is right that landlords should pay some tax rather than avoid it with interest only mortgages. After all our public services are strapped at moment.

icon

Please login to comment

MovePal MovePal MovePal
sign up