The majority of property investors of increasing taxes and regulation.
Over a third of UK property investors are looking to sell properties in 2020 due to higher taxes and greater regulation, property development firm AccumulateCapitalhas revealed.
Some 37% of UK property investors are planning on selling one or more of the residential properties they own in 2020.
Of those planning to sell 61% said this was in response to the greater regulation and higher taxes they now face as buy-to-let investors, with 72% considering current taxes and regulations to be unfairly weighted against landlords.
Paul Howells, chief executive atAccumulateCapital, said: “Property investors are clearly frustrated by how much red tape there now is within the private rental sector and buy-to-let market.
“Yes, there is a need for regulatory measures to protect the interests of all parties involved in the property market, but as our research shows, some landlords feel the current system is unfairly weighted against them.
“What we might see as a result, is investors selling properties and downsizing their portfolios.
“Indeed, a considerable number of investors are now looking to alternative real estate investment options instead, such as development finance – these provide ways to access bricks and mortar investment opportunities without the complications or costs of actually purchasing the asset.”
A fifth (21%) said they will instead focus on alternative property investment opportunities, like debt investment and development finance.
Over three fifths (63%) said they are not considering new buy-to-let purchases as a result of reforms to the private rented sector (PRS) that will be introduced from 6April 2020.
These include mortgage interest tax relief reforms and changes to private residence relief.
The vast majority (69%) said the costs of managing their property portfolios had increased “considerably” over the past five years.
Over half (54%) added that they are prepared to sell properties if further PRS regulation is introduced in the 2020 Budget which is scheduled for 11March.
In addition, 53% of property investors said they would not have purchased their properties in the first place if they had known how regulated the PRS was to become.
