When the government announced a rise in the stamp duty surcharge for landlords and second-home buyers, many predicted a mass exodus of buy-to-let investors. Cue dramatic headlines forecasting doom for the UK housing market and a bleak future for tenants searching for affordable rental homes.
But has this actually happened? Not quite. Despite a hefty tax hike, landlords are proving tougher than expected, and new data suggests they’re far from throwing in the towel.
What’s Changed with Stamp Duty?
Let’s start with the numbers. From 31 October, the surcharge landlords pay when buying additional properties went up from 3% to 5%. For anyone buying a £500,000 property, this means an extra £10,000 on their tax bill – an eye-watering increase from £27,500 to £37,500.
So, did this additional cost send landlords packing? The short answer is no.
According to data analysed from Hamptons, landlords were responsible for 10.7% of all accepted offers in November. That’s a significant jump from the 2024 average of 10.2%, and it’s clear they’re not backing away just yet.
The Buy-to-Let Market is Still Here (For Now)
Many landlord groups warned that higher taxes would cause a collapse in the buy-to-let market. After all, who wants to shell out thousands more on top of already hefty costs? Yet, Hamptons’ research paints a different picture.
“Early signs suggest that new landlords have shown relative resilience to yet another cost increase,” says Aneisha Beveridge, head of research at Hamptons. While landlords aren’t snapping up homes at the pace they did in the pre-2015 golden years (when they made up 16% of all buyers), their numbers haven’t plummeted. By the end of the year, Hamptons predicts there will be 113,630 new buy-to-let purchases, which, although 40% lower than in 2015, demonstrates that investors are still in the game.
Where Are Landlords Buying Homes?
Here’s the interesting bit. Landlords aren’t just buying anywhere – they’re being strategic. Affordable regions with the best rental yields are catching their eye. In November, 18.4% of purchases in the northeast were made by landlords, compared to 14.7% in London. Why? Lower property prices mean higher returns, making these areas especially attractive for investors looking to weather rising costs.
For context, if you’re a landlord, buying a home in the Northeast can cost significantly less than in the capital, but rental demand remains strong. It’s a simple equation of higher yields and less financial risk.
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What Does This Mean for Tenants?
For tenants, the picture is more complex. Rents have been rising steeply over the past year, driven by a shortage of rental properties and increased demand. Though, tenants will be thankful that the rate of rent increases is stabilising. In November, rents rose 2.6% year-on-year, which aligns with pre-pandemic trends. The average monthly rent across Britain now stands at £1,382.
But with landlords still adjusting to higher taxes and interest rates, there’s a lingering possibility of steeper increases returning. If fewer investors enter the market, rental supply could tighten further, pushing rents up again and leaving tenants in an increasingly stretched financial position.
The National Residential Landlords Association highlights a stark reality: the sell-off of rental properties since 2016 has contributed to rising homelessness. Between April and June 2024, 7,130 households were granted council support for homelessness, up from 5,400 just months earlier.
Is the Landlord Tax Rise Solving Anything?
So, where does this leave us? The government’s intention with the stamp duty surcharge was to further dissuade landlords from housing purchases to potentially open up more homes for first-time buyers. But the data suggests landlords aren’t going anywhere fast. Instead, they’re adapting, shifting their focus to affordable regions and riding out the extra costs.
The rental market remains challenging for tenants, but rent rises stabilising should improve affordability. Long-term, however, any reduction in buy-to-let investments could spell trouble if the supply of rental homes continues to shrink.
The Bottom Line
Despite rising taxes, landlords are proving surprisingly resilient, adapting to the changing UK housing market rather than abandoning it altogether. Regadless of the government treating them as rental market villains, one thing is clear: landlords are here to stay.
If you’re a landlord navigating tax changes, keeping your investment protected is more important than ever. Ensuring you have the right landlord insurance in place can help safeguard your property and rental income, even as costs rise.
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