Mortgage worries mount for landlords as renters could face higher rents

Rising mortgage payments will lead to higher rents, the NRLA and Bank of England warn.

According to the NRLA, almost two-thirds of private landlords expect to see their mortgage payments increase over the next 12 months.

The news comes in the wake of the Bank of England’s announcement that the base interest rate will stay at a 15-year-high of 5.25%.

60% of landlords expect their mortgage repayments to go up

Research by the NRLA reveals, that whilst over a quarter of landlords said they plan to re-mortgage over the next 12 months, 60% expect their mortgage repayments to go up.

According to data from Hamptons, landlord investors across the UK are now paying £15 billion in mortgage interest on an annual basis, up 40% over the course of the last year.

According to the Bank of England, the buy-to-let market is especially exposed to the impact of higher interest rates, given 82% of mortgages in the sector are interest-only.

This is compared to just 11% for owner-occupier mortgages.  The Bank warns that “higher rents are likely, given rising mortgage costs and strong demand.”

Despite higher rents, Savills finds that landlords’ profits are at their lowest level since 2007, indicating that rent increases are not a sign of profiteering. Rising rents largely reflect the need for landlords to cover the increased costs which they continue to face.

Scrapping tax hikes

The NRLA is calling on the government to support the private rented sector by scrapping tax hikes which have cut the supply of homes to rent.

Ben Beadle, chief executive of the NRLA, said: “Higher interest rates put continued pressure on renters, as landlords are simply unable to afford growing mortgage costs.

“Ministers need to accept that tax hikes on the sector have also played a major role in the affordability challenges we now see across the rental market.

“It’s time to reverse course and develop pro-growth tax measures. Without them, it is renters who will continue to struggle as demand outstrips supply and rents go up.”

£10 billion boost to Treasury revenue

Research by Capital Economics for the NRLA found that removing the 3-percentage point stamp duty levy on the purchase of additional homes would see almost 900,000 new private rented homes made available across the UK over the next ten years.

As a result of increases in income and corporation tax receipts, the modelling suggests this would lead to a £10 billion boost to Treasury revenue over the same period.

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