Update on Landlords Fight Back #TenantTax
Following our meeting with the Housing Minister, Gavin Barwell, on Friday 9thSeptember, we wanted to share this detailed update with you.
We thank him for making...
Myself and Steve Bolton would like to thank everyone who attended and supported the Tenant Tax Summit in London.
It was an amazing day with around 600 landlords and industry stake-holders in attendance.
We are currently processing all ticket requests for the Tenant Tax Summit on June 9th and you should have started receiving email registration details if you have pledged the minimum £100 required and...
Further to my last update, we are delighted to announce that we are now fundraising for the next stage of our legal challenge.
Please see >>> www.crowdjustice.co.uk/case/tenanttax
Please pledge...
We send you our apologies for the limited number of updates over the last month. Whilst it has been an incredibly busy time, the work being done has been largely by way of preparation for the next stage.
I would be interested to hear their explanation. I suspect it will include many of the explanations we have all been sent previously, including that the income derived from property is principally derived from the interest in the land.
I think one of the reasons we have never received straight forward, honest responses which actually address the arguments we make is because there aren’t any. It also occurs to me that the Treasury has such immense power they can set the the tax rules in any way which supports the economy (in their opinion). Hence the weakest part of our JR case was the Human Rights aspect. Governments have a large margin of appreciation when setting tax rules i.e. they can do what they want, so long as it’s proportionate. Of course we don’t think it’s proportionate, but the people in a position of power seem to.
I have always thought we are missing something. Perhaps we’re not - maybe it really is a simple as raising revenue from a community who they think can afford it as well as changing behaviour e.g. paying down debt, so that when interest rates increase fewer people are exposed. As an aside, but it may have a bearing on it - the average age of a Treasury employee is twenty seven. It probably means that the average Treasury employee is part of Generation Rent and, unfortunately, in a position to influence policy in their favour.
Doesn’t mean we shouldn’t give in though and continually look for new avenues and strategies to have S24 scrapped or amended.... Read More
The Axe the Tenant Tax Summit was a tremendous success - 600 people attended throughout the day, and we can use it as a springboard to drive the campaign forward.
You can see interviews with Cherie Blair, Lord Flight, David Smith RLA and others on the campaign Face Book page here: https://www.facebook.com/clause24/
Please share far and wide - there are still too many landlords who are unaware of Section 24.... Read More
The thread below was posted on Property Tribes the day after the summit. It contains an action plan which we urge everyone to follow. Steve and I very much appreciate the effort many of us have made so far. If we can engage everyone in our campaign we can make a real difference. Please share far and wide.
Landlord apathy will be the death of us
Yesterday was the most important event in the 2016 landlord calendar.
Today, no mention of it on Facebook property groups, Property118, or LandlordZone. No sharing of content of reviews of the event. No call to arms to galvanise the landlords that were not in attendance.
Judicial Review Co-Claimant Steve Bolton said that Section 24 is the biggest threat landlords have ever had to face. Judicial Review Co-Claimant Chris Cooper said landlords were "sleepwalking towards disaster".
I am utterly staggered and dispondent at the seemingly non-existent support or efforts to create awareness of something that will kill landlords stone dead.
Yet all the landlords haters have jumped all over the event and slammed it. They appear to care more about our industry than we do.
Landlord apathy and lethargy will be the death of all of us.
Will the last landlord in the U.K. please turn out the light?
HOWEVER, if YOU want to step up and make a positive difference, then here's a plan for you:
NOW is the time for YOU to assist this cause and spread awareness much further and wider.
It is believed that 97% of the U.K.’s 2 million landlords have 3 properties or less and are likely not engaged on landlord issues on a daily basis. These are the landlords we need to make aware of Section 24 and bring their vast numbers into our campaign!
Below, I have created a social media press kit for you to use:
The four key platforms recommended to be used are:
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIN
Forums and communities such as moneysavingexpert.com, fool.co.uk, etc.
We need you to create content, share content, and amplify content to reach as many landlords as possible.
To make this as easy as possible, we have created a raft of ready-made status up-dates for you to share across the web - especially Facebook and twitter.
Simply cut and paste the below messages onto your timelines:
New Tenant Tax means half a million buy-to-let properties could be sold says @nationallandlord #landlordsfightback http://bit.ly/1qotysj
Will the new Tenant Tax deter investment in buy-to-let sector? 86% of landlords think so http://bit.ly/1SMrKAo #landlordsfightback
#Property Tribes EXCLUSIVE: Interview with Cherie Blair MBE QC on Judicial Review of Clause 24 ow.ly/LgUm3015s7F @TenantTax
Number of London landlords looking to sell has quadrupled since Summer Budget @TheMoveChannel #landlordsfightback http://bit.ly/1N87Rr2
Rents will rise, supply will fall and tenants could be made homeless. Help abolish the Tenant Tax http://bit.ly/1S6DL3T
Landlords! Stand together to fight the Tenant Tax - Section 24. Help @tenanttax take the Government to court. http://bit.ly/1S6DL3T
Thousands of landlords will be taxed on loss-making properties. Help @tenanttax take the Government to court. http://bit.ly/1S6DL3T
Landlords with 40pc equity and a 3pc fixed mortgage would be making an average annual loss of £325 by 2020 http://bit.ly/1oSj98e
According to @SpareRoomUK stats, nearly half of tenants will face higher rents as a result of new buy-to-let tax http://bit.ly/1SzzcOY
Are you a landlord? Join the Tenant Tax Facebook group and share it with your friends to educate about Clause 24 http://ow.ly/D4Nk3013U8I
Landlords unite! Support the Judicial Review of Section 24 to abolish tenant tax http://ow.ly/xIyn3013UEr #property @TenantTax
Landlords! Find out more about the @RLA_News campaign against Clause 24 a.k.a. the tenant tax http://ow.ly/a6ci3013V4H
Landlords! Do not be complacent! Section 24 is a threat to your business. Help @tenanttax take Government to court. http://bit.ly/1S6DL3T
Like and share
Please like and share the Tenant Tax Facebook page
Other actions
Please make use of the resources provided by the Residential Landlords Association:
Visit and share the RLA Section 24 campaign page.
Your voice can make a difference, which is why we need you to speak to your MP about how you will be affected by the changes. Act now:
Meet your MP
Write to your MP
If you have not already done so, please pledge your support:
Crowd Justice Tenant Tax Fund Raising Page
This is not a time for complaceny or apathy. The majority of landlords are sleepwalking towards disaster! ALL landlords and tenants will be affected by this tax and we urge you to stand up and unite with other landlords against this unfair regime.... Read More
Tea, Chris?
Has anyone else received an invitation from Conservative Campaign Headquarters, asking for your support?
I received an email today and felt compelled to respond (see below).
If you are receiving similar emails from the Conservative Party, you might like to send a similar response so that they start to get the message.
Dear Mr. Mabbutt,
I voted for the Conservative Party in the last election. However, I will never vote for the Conservative Party ever again. Neither will my parents, my brother, many of my friends and hundreds of thousands of hard working landlords. Landlords, like myself, who have taken responsibility to provide financial security for themselves and their families, and / or pensions so that they did not have to rely on others in their twilight years - including the State.
You will know that in his Summer 2015 budget, George Osborne chose to introduce a measure stolen directly from the Green Party manifesto, which was a piece of work compiled by a 26 year old Geography graduate - not even a Phd. The measure, which removes the ability to deduct finance costs from gross rental income, after other allowable expenses, in order to arrive at a taxable profit, will destroy hundreds of thousands peoples pension provisions and livelihoods. For me it will mean that I will start to lose my personal tax allowance, pay more tax on my property income than I actually earn and take a 28% drop in my take home pay.
Every other business in the UK is able to deduct the finance costs of running the business, including incorporated landlords operating in the same sector and carrying out the same business activity.
The measure will, of course, have been at the advanced planning stages prior to the General Election. However, no mention was made of the plans in the Conservative Party manifesto. Why? Well, the answer to that question is obvious to everyone - in a cynical and calculated move, the Conservative Party did not wish to divert the large number of landlord votes it knew it would lose if those plans were announced prior to the election.
The statements made by David Gauke to justify the move are, at best, misleading and at worst untruthful. Let me give you two examples:
1. It will only affect the wealthiest landlords. The opposite is true - it will not affect wealthy landlords at all. Wealthy landlords do not have mortgages. It will affect landlords with mortgages only, and the higher the mortgage, the more affect it will have. I guess it depends on your definition of wealth. If your definition of wealth is debt, then why is George Osborne so obsessed with reducing the deficit?
2. It will only affect higher rate tax payers. That statement is technically true. However, it fails to explain that hundreds of thousands (146,121 Source - National Landlords Association) of landlords will be moved from lower rate tax payers to higher rate tax payers.
So, rather than supporting your efforts I, and most of the 2 million landlords in the UK, will be actively working towards ensuring that the Conservative Party is not re-elected and that George Osborne does not become the next leader of the Conservative Party.
In closing, I would like to ask you to support our campaign instead - to fight the “Alice in Wonderland” Buy to Let Tax Grab – https://www.crowdjustice.co.uk/case/clause24/
Regards, Chris Cooper.
On 12 Mar 2016, at 12:01
I wonder if people think that making a donation might make them visible?
It is probably worth emphasising that all donations are anonymous. Neither Steve, nor I, are able to discover who has donated. Any communication with donors, e.g. email updates, is made by Crowd Justice, who have a legal duty, under the Data Protection Act, to keep the information secure.
I wonder if people think that making a donation might make them visible?
It is probably worth emphasising that all donations are anonymous. Neither Steve, nor I, are able to discover who has donated. Any communication with donors, e.g. email updates, is made by Crowd Justice, who have a legal duty, under the Data Protection Act, to keep the information secure.
Telegraph: "Buy-to-let tax raid: 600 landlords donate £42,000 to fund judicial review".
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/investing/buy-to-let/12074893/Buy-to-let-tax-raid-600-landlords-donate-42000-to-fund-judicial-review.html... Read More
Telegraph: "Buy-to-let tax raid: 600 landlords donate £42,000 to fund judicial review".
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/investing/buy-to-let/12074893/Buy-to-let-tax-raid-600-landlords-donate-42000-to-fund-judicial-review.html... Read More
I have received a response from the Crowd Justice team. Relevant details are:
The issue of certain cards not allowing the donation relates to the policy of the card companies. While we are working to improve this from our end, at this point in time, donors will need to contact their card company about allowing the payment, if there is an issue.
Initially when donors make a pledge, the action is only a pledge. Details are kept at the pledge stage until the card is actually debited. Only the pledged amount will be debited.
I have received a response from the Crowd Justice team. Relevant details are:
The issue of certain cards not allowing the donation relates to the policy of the card companies. While we are working to improve this from our end, at this point in time, donors will need to contact their card company about allowing the payment, if there is an issue.
Initially when donors make a pledge, the action is only a pledge. Details are kept at the pledge stage until the card is actually debited. Only the pledged amount will be debited.
18:36 PM, 20th June 2017, About 8 years ago
I would be interested to hear their explanation. I suspect it will include many of the explanations we have all been sent previously, including that the income derived from property is principally derived from the interest in the land.
I think one of the reasons we have never received straight forward, honest responses which actually address the arguments we make is because there aren’t any. It also occurs to me that the Treasury has such immense power they can set the the tax rules in any way which supports the economy (in their opinion). Hence the weakest part of our JR case was the Human Rights aspect. Governments have a large margin of appreciation when setting tax rules i.e. they can do what they want, so long as it’s proportionate. Of course we don’t think it’s proportionate, but the people in a position of power seem to.
I have always thought we are missing something. Perhaps we’re not - maybe it really is a simple as raising revenue from a community who they think can afford it as well as changing behaviour e.g. paying down debt, so that when interest rates increase fewer people are exposed. As an aside, but it may have a bearing on it - the average age of a Treasury employee is twenty seven. It probably means that the average Treasury employee is part of Generation Rent and, unfortunately, in a position to influence policy in their favour.
Doesn’t mean we shouldn’t give in though and continually look for new avenues and strategies to have S24 scrapped or amended.... Read More
10:42 AM, 12th June 2016, About 9 years ago
The Axe the Tenant Tax Summit was a tremendous success - 600 people attended throughout the day, and we can use it as a springboard to drive the campaign forward.
You can see interviews with Cherie Blair, Lord Flight, David Smith RLA and others on the campaign Face Book page here: https://www.facebook.com/clause24/
Please share far and wide - there are still too many landlords who are unaware of Section 24.... Read More
10:28 AM, 12th June 2016, About 9 years ago
The thread below was posted on Property Tribes the day after the summit. It contains an action plan which we urge everyone to follow. Steve and I very much appreciate the effort many of us have made so far. If we can engage everyone in our campaign we can make a real difference. Please share far and wide.
http://www.propertytribes.com/landlord-apathy-will-be-the-death-of-us-t-127625320.html
Landlord apathy will be the death of us
Yesterday was the most important event in the 2016 landlord calendar.
Today, no mention of it on Facebook property groups, Property118, or LandlordZone. No sharing of content of reviews of the event. No call to arms to galvanise the landlords that were not in attendance.
Judicial Review Co-Claimant Steve Bolton said that Section 24 is the biggest threat landlords have ever had to face. Judicial Review Co-Claimant Chris Cooper said landlords were "sleepwalking towards disaster".
I am utterly staggered and dispondent at the seemingly non-existent support or efforts to create awareness of something that will kill landlords stone dead.
Yet all the landlords haters have jumped all over the event and slammed it. They appear to care more about our industry than we do.
Landlord apathy and lethargy will be the death of all of us.
Will the last landlord in the U.K. please turn out the light?
HOWEVER, if YOU want to step up and make a positive difference, then here's a plan for you:
NOW is the time for YOU to assist this cause and spread awareness much further and wider.
It is believed that 97% of the U.K.’s 2 million landlords have 3 properties or less and are likely not engaged on landlord issues on a daily basis. These are the landlords we need to make aware of Section 24 and bring their vast numbers into our campaign!
Below, I have created a social media press kit for you to use:
The four key platforms recommended to be used are:
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIN
Forums and communities such as moneysavingexpert.com, fool.co.uk, etc.
We need you to create content, share content, and amplify content to reach as many landlords as possible.
To make this as easy as possible, we have created a raft of ready-made status up-dates for you to share across the web - especially Facebook and twitter.
Simply cut and paste the below messages onto your timelines:
New Tenant Tax means half a million buy-to-let properties could be sold says @nationallandlord #landlordsfightback http://bit.ly/1qotysj
Will the new Tenant Tax deter investment in buy-to-let sector? 86% of landlords think so http://bit.ly/1SMrKAo #landlordsfightback
#Property Tribes EXCLUSIVE: Interview with Cherie Blair MBE QC on Judicial Review of Clause 24 ow.ly/LgUm3015s7F @TenantTax
Number of London landlords looking to sell has quadrupled since Summer Budget @TheMoveChannel #landlordsfightback http://bit.ly/1N87Rr2
Rents will rise, supply will fall and tenants could be made homeless. Help abolish the Tenant Tax http://bit.ly/1S6DL3T
Landlords! Stand together to fight the Tenant Tax - Section 24. Help @tenanttax take the Government to court. http://bit.ly/1S6DL3T
Thousands of landlords will be taxed on loss-making properties. Help @tenanttax take the Government to court. http://bit.ly/1S6DL3T
Landlords with 40pc equity and a 3pc fixed mortgage would be making an average annual loss of £325 by 2020 http://bit.ly/1oSj98e
According to @SpareRoomUK stats, nearly half of tenants will face higher rents as a result of new buy-to-let tax http://bit.ly/1SzzcOY
Are you a landlord? Join the Tenant Tax Facebook group and share it with your friends to educate about Clause 24 http://ow.ly/D4Nk3013U8I
Landlords unite! Support the Judicial Review of Section 24 to abolish tenant tax http://ow.ly/xIyn3013UEr #property @TenantTax
Landlords! Find out more about the @RLA_News campaign against Clause 24 a.k.a. the tenant tax http://ow.ly/a6ci3013V4H
Landlords! Do not be complacent! Section 24 is a threat to your business. Help @tenanttax take Government to court. http://bit.ly/1S6DL3T
Like and share
Please like and share the Tenant Tax Facebook page
Other actions
Please make use of the resources provided by the Residential Landlords Association:
Visit and share the RLA Section 24 campaign page.
Your voice can make a difference, which is why we need you to speak to your MP about how you will be affected by the changes. Act now:
Meet your MP
Write to your MP
If you have not already done so, please pledge your support:
Crowd Justice Tenant Tax Fund Raising Page
This is not a time for complaceny or apathy. The majority of landlords are sleepwalking towards disaster! ALL landlords and tenants will be affected by this tax and we urge you to stand up and unite with other landlords against this unfair regime.... Read More
12:25 PM, 7th April 2016, About 9 years ago
Reply to the comment left by "Simon Hall" at "03/04/2016 - 19:51
... Read More
11:40 AM, 7th April 2016, About 9 years ago
Reply to the comment left by "Jerry Jones" at "07/04/2016 - 11:32
... Read More
10:45 AM, 7th April 2016, About 9 years ago
Reply to the comment left by "Ros ." at "06/04/2016 - 15:51
... Read More
0:13 AM, 2nd April 2016, About 9 years ago
Reply to the comment left by "Ros ." at "01/04/2016 - 22:03
... Read More
15:21 PM, 12th March 2016, About 9 years ago
Tea, Chris? Has anyone else received an invitation from Conservative Campaign Headquarters, asking for your support? I received an email today and felt compelled to respond (see below). If you are receiving similar emails from the Conservative Party, you might like to send a similar response so that they start to get the message. Dear Mr. Mabbutt, I voted for the Conservative Party in the last election. However, I will never vote for the Conservative Party ever again. Neither will my parents, my brother, many of my friends and hundreds of thousands of hard working landlords. Landlords, like myself, who have taken responsibility to provide financial security for themselves and their families, and / or pensions so that they did not have to rely on others in their twilight years - including the State. You will know that in his Summer 2015 budget, George Osborne chose to introduce a measure stolen directly from the Green Party manifesto, which was a piece of work compiled by a 26 year old Geography graduate - not even a Phd. The measure, which removes the ability to deduct finance costs from gross rental income, after other allowable expenses, in order to arrive at a taxable profit, will destroy hundreds of thousands peoples pension provisions and livelihoods. For me it will mean that I will start to lose my personal tax allowance, pay more tax on my property income than I actually earn and take a 28% drop in my take home pay. Every other business in the UK is able to deduct the finance costs of running the business, including incorporated landlords operating in the same sector and carrying out the same business activity. The measure will, of course, have been at the advanced planning stages prior to the General Election. However, no mention was made of the plans in the Conservative Party manifesto. Why? Well, the answer to that question is obvious to everyone - in a cynical and calculated move, the Conservative Party did not wish to divert the large number of landlord votes it knew it would lose if those plans were announced prior to the election. The statements made by David Gauke to justify the move are, at best, misleading and at worst untruthful. Let me give you two examples: 1. It will only affect the wealthiest landlords. The opposite is true - it will not affect wealthy landlords at all. Wealthy landlords do not have mortgages. It will affect landlords with mortgages only, and the higher the mortgage, the more affect it will have. I guess it depends on your definition of wealth. If your definition of wealth is debt, then why is George Osborne so obsessed with reducing the deficit? 2. It will only affect higher rate tax payers. That statement is technically true. However, it fails to explain that hundreds of thousands (146,121 Source - National Landlords Association) of landlords will be moved from lower rate tax payers to higher rate tax payers. So, rather than supporting your efforts I, and most of the 2 million landlords in the UK, will be actively working towards ensuring that the Conservative Party is not re-elected and that George Osborne does not become the next leader of the Conservative Party. In closing, I would like to ask you to support our campaign instead - to fight the “Alice in Wonderland” Buy to Let Tax Grab – https://www.crowdjustice.co.uk/case/clause24/ Regards, Chris Cooper. On 12 Mar 2016, at 12:01
... Read More
20:40 PM, 21st February 2016, About 9 years ago
Reply to the comment left by "Graham Kogan" at "21/02/2016 - 20:29
... Read More
17:47 PM, 21st February 2016, About 9 years ago
Reply to the comment left by "Kathy Evans" at "21/02/2016 - 17:13
... Read More
12:03 PM, 21st February 2016, About 9 years ago
Reply to the comment left by "money manager" at "21/02/2016 - 11:44
... Read More
14:10 PM, 1st January 2016, About 9 years ago
I wonder if people think that making a donation might make them visible?
It is probably worth emphasising that all donations are anonymous. Neither Steve, nor I, are able to discover who has donated. Any communication with donors, e.g. email updates, is made by Crowd Justice, who have a legal duty, under the Data Protection Act, to keep the information secure.
Regards, Chris.... Read More
14:09 PM, 1st January 2016, About 9 years ago
I wonder if people think that making a donation might make them visible?
It is probably worth emphasising that all donations are anonymous. Neither Steve, nor I, are able to discover who has donated. Any communication with donors, e.g. email updates, is made by Crowd Justice, who have a legal duty, under the Data Protection Act, to keep the information secure.
Regards, Chris.... Read More
10:34 AM, 1st January 2016, About 9 years ago
Telegraph: "Buy-to-let tax raid: 600 landlords donate £42,000 to fund judicial review".
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/investing/buy-to-let/12074893/Buy-to-let-tax-raid-600-landlords-donate-42000-to-fund-judicial-review.html... Read More
10:34 AM, 1st January 2016, About 9 years ago
Telegraph: "Buy-to-let tax raid: 600 landlords donate £42,000 to fund judicial review".
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/investing/buy-to-let/12074893/Buy-to-let-tax-raid-600-landlords-donate-42000-to-fund-judicial-review.html... Read More
23:21 PM, 30th December 2015, About 9 years ago
Reply to the comment left by "Alan Wong" at "30/12/2015 - 22:13
... Read More
15:35 PM, 30th December 2015, About 9 years ago
Crowd Justice Payment Issues
I have received a response from the Crowd Justice team. Relevant details are:
The issue of certain cards not allowing the donation relates to the policy of the card companies. While we are working to improve this from our end, at this point in time, donors will need to contact their card company about allowing the payment, if there is an issue.
Initially when donors make a pledge, the action is only a pledge. Details are kept at the pledge stage until the card is actually debited. Only the pledged amount will be debited.
Regards, Chris.... Read More
12:07 PM, 30th December 2015, About 9 years ago
Crowd Justice Payment Issues
I have received a response from the Crowd Justice team. Relevant details are:
The issue of certain cards not allowing the donation relates to the policy of the card companies. While we are working to improve this from our end, at this point in time, donors will need to contact their card company about allowing the payment, if there is an issue.
Initially when donors make a pledge, the action is only a pledge. Details are kept at the pledge stage until the card is actually debited. Only the pledged amount will be debited.
Regards, Chris.... Read More
10:34 AM, 30th December 2015, About 9 years ago
Reply to the comment left by "D D" at "30/12/2015 - 10:06
... Read More
22:17 PM, 29th December 2015, About 9 years ago
Reply to the comment left by "Alex Caravello" at "29/12/2015 - 21:39
... Read More