Industry boss warns Labour’s anti-landlord stance will harm tenants

Industry boss warns Labour’s anti-landlord stance will harm tenants

0:03 AM, 7th October 2024, About 2 months ago 7

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Labour’s anti-landlord stance will hurt tenants, claims an industry boss.

Purplebricks’ chief executive, Sam Mitchell, told The Telegraph that Labour’s proposed tax hike rumours have fuelled anxiety in the property market.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has refused to rule out an increase in capital gains tax (CGT) in the October budget.

CGT rates could be brought in line with income tax

Mr Mitchell says he has seen landlords leaving in droves ahead of the October budget. According to reports, CGT rates could be brought in line with income tax.

Mr Mitchell told The Telegraph: “If you put capital gains tax up, you will have this rush of landlords selling up which is bad for tenants, puts rents up and makes it very difficult to become a first-time buyer.”

“It’s almost impossible to save for a deposit if you’re a tenant that’s shelling out well over £1,000 a month on rent.”

Mr Mitchell suggested the government could potentially consider introducing some form of tax relief for landlords, which might also assist first-time buyers.

Mr Mitchell added: “If they do put capital gains tax for buy to let investors, then why not look at more entrepreneurial schemes – for example, reducing that tax burden if you sell a property to your own tenant or a first-time buyer?

“That could be a virtuous circle of helping first-time buyers and not being too punitive to landlords as well.”

Very popular to bash landlords

Mr Mitchell slammed the “punitive” decisions by the government regarding the removal of tax relief for mortgage interest and the introduction of a 3% stamp duty surcharge.

Mr Mitchell warns that with more landlords leaving the market, the supply of homes will drop.

He said: “It seems to be very popular to bash landlords. The trouble is these policies bashing landlords end up hurting tenants because it just further reduces the supply of stock in the sector.”

Labour has promised to build 1.5 million homes over the next five years and introduce the Renters’ Rights Bill which will abolish Section 21 and extend Awaab’s law into the private rented sector.


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Cider Drinker

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11:25 AM, 7th October 2024, About 2 months ago

Some tenants may be pushed into homeownership.

For some of these people, it will be a good thing. They’ll go on to build a family and spend many happy years owning their own home.

For others, it will be a disaster. Relationships fail, properties can lose value, repairs can be expensive, jobs can be lost, moving home is expensive (and stressful). In short, life happens and being ‘forced’ i to homeownership wound be good for everyone.

For those that remain tenants, there’ll be fewer properties and higher rents.

For the Treasury, there’ll be fewer privately rented properties to contribute to the total tax take.

Paul Essex

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14:25 PM, 7th October 2024, About 2 months ago

Too little criticism from the professionals and much too late to get Labour's finger off the destruct button.

max Gardiner

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14:54 PM, 7th October 2024, About 2 months ago

What is needed is a CGT Roll-over Relief for landlords that want to sell to upgrade their portfolios. This would be particularly helpful for landlords faced with the substantial cost of trying to bring Victorian villas up to EPC C grade. The Victorian villas would eventually find their way into the hands of private owner- occupiers who could use their own devices to upgrade them over a period of time without regulation.

Northernpleb

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14:57 PM, 7th October 2024, About 2 months ago

This Guy is Stating the obvious , It is good that he is .
Its already hurting Tenants , areas that used to have an ample supply of properties to rent . Now they are very few .
I am averaging between 65 and 90 applicants when I offer a 3 bed family home to let rent.
It can only get worse , I can not see one item in The Renters Reform Bill that would entice anyone to buy a property and rent it. If any one can I would be most Surprised.
If the Government does not want a Private Rental Market they should say so.
They Should also state how many Families The want to make Homeless with this legislation is it 5 million 10 million or all of them.

Cause For Concern

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18:34 PM, 7th October 2024, About 2 months ago

I think that the problem is that we landlords do not have a strong and effective voice.
We go onto forums such as this and talk amongst ourselves but we should be presenting a unified front to government, to say that we will not tolerate having our property and livelihood taken from us without a fight.
The NRLA is like an angry lamb…nobody takes any notice of the quiet bleating.

The government have U turned on raising VAT to 45% for the Private Equity industry but we will get hammered because we don’t have strong representation. How about a landlord strike - no new lettings for say 6 months.. see how that works for the government and Shelter and Generation Rent. Let’s see who can hold out the longest. Stop being victims!

Cider Drinker

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18:42 PM, 7th October 2024, About 2 months ago

A few years ago, one of my tenants wanted to buy their home. It was worth around £90k at the time. I’d bought it for £70k and paid £2,100 in SDLT.

I’d have let them buy it if they’d paid me £92,100 plus my legal fees for selling, my legal fees for buying another property to replace it in my portfolio. I’d have paid the SDLT in the replacement property.

Today, I’d let them have it for valuation minus 5%. Around £105k.

Northernpleb

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11:36 AM, 8th October 2024, About 2 months ago

I Reply to Cause for concern
I agree we have little or no representation in good old Ben seems to think the RRB is marvellous
Then again he is not Homeless trying to find somewhere to rent Or a Landlord struggling to make ends me
Under RRB only class one tenants with Guarantors will be able to find accommodation.

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