July Budget 2015 – changes to mortgage tax relief: Here’s what to do now if you’re a buy-to-let landlord July 8, 2015 A major shake-up of the buy-to-let housing market could be about to take place, after chancellor George Osborne announced plans to change mortgage tax relief for landlords. In his Budget speech today, the chancellor said the relief will be cut to 20 per cent, from 40 to 45 per cent, in an effort to "level [...]
July Budget 2015: Buy-to-let landlords hit as George Osborne restricts mortgage tax relief and hikes rent a room allowance July 8, 2015 George Osborne has cut mortgage interest relief on buy-to-let homes, in an effort to create a "level playing field" between prospective landlords and those buying their homes to live in. Read more: Chancellor slashes corporation tax and bank levy The chancellor said the relief will be cut to the basic rate of income tax, which [...]
Banks to make buy-to-let mortgage rules simpler in bid to boost transparency April 7, 2015 Dozens of banks and building societies promised to make the small print on buy-to-let (BTL) mortgages simpler and clearer, in a bid to make the products as transparent and straightforward as more heavily regulated retail mortgages. The aim is to make borrowers’ obligations clearer, so that BTL customers understand how much they have to pay [...]
Don’t get burned by the buy-to-let boom: Funding retirement with rental income could turn into a disaster April 7, 2015 The new pensions freedoms are finally here and many savers will be considering taking a lump sum from their savings. Investing in a buy-to-let property to fund retirement may seem like a good idea, but pensions experts are warning of the risks. Eighteen years after the creation of the first buy-to-let mortgage, this form of [...]
Labour MP Emily Thornberry threatens Guido Fawkes with legal action after buy-to-let bust up March 21, 2015 Two old foes are at it again and providing the public with a good old social media bust up. Labour MP Emily Thornberry, who was sacked from her position as shadow attorney general after and ill-advised tweet, is going head-to-head with renowned political blogger Guido Fawkes. There is no love lost between the two sides [...]
Buy-to-let: It’s not all about capital growth March 17, 2015 The stability of rents against average incomes makes for an attractive proposition. The UK – and London in particular – has been the beneficiary of large inflows of global capital into property in the last few years. While most of these funds have flowed into commercial real estate, a growing proportion is being directed into [...]
Retirees are increasingly banking on buy-to-let and part-time jobs for future financial security February 9, 2015 People are opting for less conventional means of guaranteeing a financially secure retirement, and taking advantage of chancellor George Osborne's reforms which give them "complete freedom" to withdraw from their pension pots. People gearing up for retirement are increasingly planning to boost their incomes using the government's buy-to-let scheme or with a part-time job. Research [...]
Bank of England sets its sights on landlords’ buy-to-let mortgages July 1, 2014 Buy-to-let mortgages could be the next financial product to face tough new limits, the Bank of England revealed yesterday, as the restrictions announced last week only cover owner-occupier loans. A housing boom and bust could hit landlords just as it would any other home owner, risking a serious blow to banks and the financial system. [...]