Buy-to-let CGT

A combination of financial challenges, eviction bans and a perceived lack of support meant the rental market was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, landlords and tenants are feeling the effects of rising costs.

Landlords are also concerned about rental reform, high taxation and higher energy efficiency standards, according to the UK Landlord Report by Simply Business.

They found that almost half of landlords had sold a property in the last year or are planning to do so, which “comes as little surprise when you consider the pace of market change, as well as tax disincentives such as Section 24 and the stamp duty surcharge”.

That’s not even taking into account the aftermath of the minibudget announced by former Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng on 23 September 2022, which piled even more risks onto landlords after the Bank of England signalled it could raise interest rates to 6%. As a result, some buy-to-let landlords may see their profitability decline when they go to refinance their loans.