Labour’s report on land reform

There is much to agree with in Labour’s report on land reform. But we don't need another layer of tax and bureaucracy on top of an already unmanageable system. https://t.co/PtCZOvFwYe pic.twitter.com/qTGA6FTEE6

— MoneyWeek (@MoneyWeek) June 19, 2019

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Impact of Labour's "Garden Tax'

How would a ‘Garden Tax’ from #Labour effect the #Property Market? https://t.co/HLTvEAj61y pic.twitter.com/JisepYv3gt

— Estate Agent Networking (@EAUKNetworking) June 7, 2019

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Typical council tax will rise by 4.7%

Typical council tax will rise by 4.7% in April https://t.co/feBx8QhRxp

— BBC Business (@BBCBusiness) March 27, 2019

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Govt. proposal to treble council tax on some empty homes

We’re determined to incentivise property owners to bring empty homes back into use. Today @LordNickBourne has tabled an amendment to our Bill that will see council tax bills for empty homes treble or quadruple if left empty for five years or more. https://t.co/Qydy3nIXk5

— Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Govt (@mhclg) July 18, 2018

Councils across England will have powers to charge even greater council tax premiums on homes left empty for many years following an amendment to a Government Bill - https://t.co/dkoAKBFBTr #ukhousing #localgov pic.twitter.com/3SQzEfXLzU

— 24housing Magazine (@24housing) July 18, 2018

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Call to allow councils to increase council tax on empty properties

Thousands of empty properties across England could be brought back into use if councils are allowed to increase the rate of extra council tax on empty homes, local government leaders say - https://t.co/RzBbkCP7Wl #ukhousing #localgov pic.twitter.com/Gn0uEyiwB6

— 24housing Magazine (@24housing) July 18, 2018

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Landlord's 5-year council tax fraud

Landlord's five-year council tax fraud https://t.co/x3XGsd2QsA

— Property Hawk (@landlordnews) June 5, 2018

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Empty properties to be hit by double council tax

Empty homes to be hit with double council tax https://t.co/tfyaipVZjL #emptyhomes #counciltax pic.twitter.com/VQ9BPGJ1OQ

— Zoopla (@Zoopla) May 3, 2018

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Council tax on empty homes can now be doubled

Government has announced new legislation to allow councils to charge double council tax on empty homes - https://t.co/0bw3pi9iwg #ukhousing #localgov pic.twitter.com/DfmTh2H10y

— 24housing Magazine (@24housing) March 28, 2018

Local authorities given power to double council tax on empty homeshttps://t.co/52iROBN44J

— Mortgage Strategy (@MortgageStrat) March 28, 2018

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Reforming property taxes - RF proposals

NEW: the case for scrapping council tax and replacing it with a truly progressive system https://t.co/7zJduTBytn

— ResolutionFoundation (@resfoundation) March 20, 2018

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Empty homes -100% council tax increase

Empty homes council tax rise unlikely to deter rich owners, say critics https://t.co/LQT1o5yo61

— Guardian news (@guardiannews) November 22, 2017

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Labour push for a Land Value Tax

Labour looks to replace Council Tax with a Land Value Tax https://t.co/5ZY6uqXqT3

— Rev Paul Nicolson (@taxpayers_a_p) September 12, 2017

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Councils failing to seize empty homes

Councils are failing to seize empty homes https://t.co/pegPmb7Qte pic.twitter.com/wRzjlDJjli

— Mortgage Introducer (@MortgageChat) July 17, 2017

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FREE landlords tax guide

LANDLORD TAXATION GUIDE

Landlords across the UK are turning and steeling themselves for submitting their tax return.  Deadline 31st January in case you don’t remember.

Property Hawks updated landlord taxation guide will give you all the information about what your tax liabilities are and how to pay as little tax as legally possible.  Remember tax avoidance is legal and sensible if you are trying to minimise your tax bill; tax evasion is illegal and likely to give you a fast track to the local prison…not advisable.

Landlords targeted by the taxman

Unfortunately, landlords have become increasingly targeted by the taxman as a relatively easy and lucrative tax target.  it hasn’t escaped the Chancellors gaze that many landlords are making record rental profits and for those landlords fortunate enough to own property in the property hotspots of London and the South East they have also seen the value of their rental portfolios rocket in value far beyond the values of other investments.

Landlords local taxation

Added to the national government looking at creaming off these record returns in what could be described as a golden age to be a landlord: then also cash strapped Local Authorities are also seeing the Council Tax as as way of ‘fleecing’ local landlords to pay more than their fair share into the local coffers.

Somebody explain why it makes sense for a Landlord to have to pay 100% of an empty property Council Tax bill when somebody living on their own gets a 25% discount?!  A landlord like me who lives in a different town to their property will not be using any local services on their empty property where as somebody living on there own will be using it all.  Please please can somebody explain the logic in this charging structure.



Added to the Council Tax charges some Local Authorities are effectively taxing landlords whether in self contained or HMO properties by introducing Landlord Licensing which introduces a tax for being a landlord and obtaining a piece of paper to say as much ( a tax through the back door if there was ever one ).


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No revaluation of council tax bands in England

The Housing Minister, Brandon Lewis has declared - "There will be no revaluation of council tax bands in England" in his interview with the FT.

Which sounds pretty concrete, although we all know what politicians are like for changing their tune.

"There will be no revaluation of council tax bands in England" says @BrandonLewis https://t.co/KBGhuQxN50

— Judith Evans (@JudithREvans) April 20, 2016

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Council Tax Anomolies

I was contacted over the last few days by Will who raises the following point about how landlords are charged for Council Tax in his own words:

For the last two occasions when my tenants have moved out, at two separate properties in two different Council jurisdictions, I have been liable for paying Council Tax the day after they vacate the property (if no new tenancy take up residency within 7 days) despite both sets of tenants having their Assured Tenancy contract still applying, whether actually within term or in principle rolling on after the term has expired.  It appears that the respective Councils are protected by the Law in this regard that the landlord is financially responsible for an un-resided unfurnished property, but why should a landlord have to start paying so soon?  This appears to be a very unfair system, especially if it was the tenants who started the dissolution of the tenancy and the landlord was good in the treatment of the tenants.

We all know that Councils are currently hard pushed for cash but should this negate the need for fairness?  As you know, in the old days the landlord was given up to six months grace in entirety at each rental property before having to start paying Council Tax.  Is it possible for you to start a petition or raise on the political agenda to have a fairer compromise situation enacted?  If I am missing a trick or I do not have the full facts and can get round this situation, please advise!

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Wales looks at council tax surcharge on second homes

Wales considering council tax surcharge on second homes https://t.co/LzCrzgUHLA #ukhousing

— Guardian Housing (@GuardianHousing) February 23, 2016

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Council tax is regressive

These five maps show why council tax really is regressive and absurd https://t.co/fGvpeBpEJN pic.twitter.com/zPVUrV2Hkw

— The Conversation (@ConversationUK) February 18, 2016

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New bill to name landlords on Council Tax form

The Conservative MP for Hornchurch and Upminister, Dame Angela Watkinson is introducing a bill to help identify criminal landlords today in Parliament. 

The MP proposed bill would force landlords to identify themselves on the council tax registration forms of a rental property.

The Draft Local Government Finance (Tenure Information) Bill would give councils the power to obtain the landlords details on a property.

Existing law means tenants are entitled to know the name of their landlord when signing a tenancy agreement, but he new bill would force this information to be shared with the local authority when registering for council tax.

The aim is to make it  more difficult for criminal landlords to hide their identify from the authorities.

If a tenant refuses or is unable to identify their landlord a local authority would be enabled to seek the owners identity using Land Registry data.

MP Angela Watkinson believes the proposed bill has strong cross party support.

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Taxation without representation!

Margaret Thatcher introduced the Council or Poll tax in 1989.  The justification was that each person irrespective of their income consumes local services and therefore needs to pay for them.  Agree...disagree there is a certain logic to it.

Therefore, if a property is empty...there is nobody in the property producing waste, requiring social services, needing police or ambulance services. So why have the politicians decided that a landlords with an empty property now need to pay for services that are NOT being consumed?

Changes of Council Tax

The community tax was replaced by the council tax back in 1993.  From the 1st of April landlords who were previously allowed an automatic 6 month exemption are subject to a charge made at discretion of the local council.  Needless to say, most Labour councils see it as good way of hammering landlords.  Councils of other political persuasion have varying approaches.

Taxation Without Representation

As our America brethren once pointed out there should be no taxation without representation. It seems to me that the new changes to the Council Tax system is exactly that.  I now live in Sheffield and as the letter from Nottingham City Council points out from the 1st April I will have to pay 100% of the council tax bill when one of my property's becomes empty.  If I don't like the amount I am being charged I have no opportunity to vote out the local council and replace them.  Am I the only one who thinks that landlords are being unfairly targeted in the dash to bring down the public sector deficit?

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Council tax changes to impact on landlords

The changes to Council Tax on empty property come into play this week.

So gone are the days when landlords got the automatic exemptions and discounts on their vacant rental properties between lets.

Also the exemption of properties undergoing development work is to be lost, with many councils deciding to offer no deduction of refurbishment properties.
To clarify the  changes:

    1.    Exemption class C (properties that are empty and unfurnished for up to six months) has been abolished and each council can decide whether to award a local discount in its place
    2.    Councils can decide to charge an additional premium of up to 50% on homes that have been empty and unfurnished for two years or more
    3.    Exemption class A (properties requiring or undergoing major repairs for up to 12 months) has been abolished and each council can decide whether to award a local discount in its place
    4.    The minimum discount that councils can give for furnished homes that are no one’s ‘sole or main residence’ – i.e. second homes and unoccupied furnished lets – has been reduced from 10% to 0%.

Each council is taking an independent approach, with some offering shorter exemption periods, or percentage reductions, whilst others are handing no favours and are charging full rate from day one.

Speak to your local council to find out what their decisions are and don't be surprised if it doesn't change year by year.

The best advice for landlords is keep your tenants happy and avoid rental voids.

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