Belvoir Property Clinic - Stamp Duty Explained

Andrew Bailey, Belvoir’s Sales Director explains Stamp Duty and how it will affect you when you buy a new home.

If you have a question for our monthly Belvoir Property Clinic, please send to info@belvoirandover.com

What is Stamp Duty?

If you are buying a home or a piece of land in England which is costing more than £125,000 (or more than £40,000 for second homes), you will have to pay Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) on your purchase. Stamp Duty is a tax paid by the buyer on the purchase price of a property, not on the amount borrowed via a mortgage.

How much is Stamp Duty?

If the property that you are buying is your main home, then the amount you pay is calculated using the following bands:

·         You pay nothing on the first £125,000 of the purchase price

·         2% between £125,001 and £250,000

·         5% between £250,001 and £925,000

·         10% between £925,001 and £1,500,000

·         12% above £1,500,000

This means that if your home costs £120,000, you pay no Stamp Duty.

If however your home costs £275,000, then you can calculate SDLT as follows:

0% payable on the first £125,000 = £0, 2% on the next £125,000 = £2,500, 5% on the final £25,000 = £1,250

Total SDLT = £3,750

Different rules may apply to leasehold properties, depending on the type of lease.

Stamp Duty on second homes

Buyers of additional residential properties, such as second homes and buy-to-let properties, are required to pay an extra 3% in Stamp Duty on top of current rate and this higher rate applies to properties bought for £40,000 or more.

This works out as: 3% payable on the first £125,000; 5% on the next £125,000; 8% between £250,001 and £925,000, 13% between £925,001 and £1,500,000 and 15% above £1,500,000

The additional tax is not payable if your second home is a caravan, mobile home or houseboat.

If you buy a new main residence but there’s a delay in selling your previous main residence, you will also have to pay the higher Stamp Duty rates as for a short time, you will own two properties. However, depending on the circumstances you may be able to request a refund.

Stamp Duty for first-time buyers

First-time buyers in England qualify for Stamp Duty relief and do not pay SDLT on purchases of up to £300,000. They will however pay 5% on properties that cost from £300,001 up to £500,000.

This means that if your first home costs £280,000, you pay no Stamp Duty.

If your home costs £325,000, then you pay nothing on the first £300,000, and 5% on the remaining £25,000

Total SDLT = £1,250

If your first home is over £500,000 then you do not qualify for Stamp Duty relief and you will be expected to pay the standard rate.

Joint ownership and Stamp Duty relief

If you are married and jointly buying a property, then you will both need to be eligible first-time buyers to get First Time Buyers Stamp Duty relief.

Unmarried people can still get a reduction in Stamp Duty but only if one person is named on the mortgage deed and that person is a first-time buyer.

You are generally classified as a first-time-buyer if you are purchasing your only or main residence and have never owned a freehold or have a leasehold interest in a residential property in the UK or abroad

How is Stamp Duty paid?

Your solicitor or conveyancer usually submits a SDLT return for you within 30 days of the completion of the house purchase.

You should expect to pay SDLT on all property purchases, including those that don’t require a mortgage. So when buying a home, you really do need to consider whether you are able to afford the tax on top of all the other costs involved. There are various online calculators which can work out how much SDLT you will need to pay and lots more information is available on www.gov.uk. Alternatively, pop into the Belvoir office in Bridge Street, Andover and one of our team will help you.

Belvoir acquires Crown Lettings

Belvoir is delighted to announce the acquisition of Crown Residential Lettings in early July. All the Crown employees are now located in Belvoir’s Bridge Street offices and will continue to offer an exceptional service to landlords and tenants alike.

Belvoir now has the largest lettings team in the company’s 20 year history. The department has seen some restructuring with each individual member of the team now focusing exclusively on their particular area of expertise. With these lettings specialists delivering first class customer service, Belvoir continues to be the favourite lettings agent amongst Andover landlords* 

Vicky Bowman, Belvoir’s Lettings Manager said “We now manage a significant portfolio of Andover rental properties and we were thrilled to see that according to figures provided by Rightmove, in 2018 we have listed more available properties in Andover than any other agent. This means that we can offer prospective tenants a much greater choice** and this in turn is good news for our landlords.”      

For more information on Belvoir’s lettings service or available rental properties, please call 01264 366611 or email lettings@belvoirandover.com

*Rightmove stats for 2018 – Most New Instructions
**Rightmove stats for 2018 – Available Stock      

Belvoir Property Clinic launches

We have introduced our monthly Property Clinic, which promises to answer many of the questions we get asked in the office.This month we look at tax changes for Landlords.

If you have a question for our monthly Belvoir Property Clinic, please send to info@belvoirandover.com

Q Can you explain the tax changes that have been introduced for buy-to-let landlords as I am about to file my tax return

A This is a question we have been asked a lot at Belvoir, and it’s not an altogether simple one to answer.

The tax changes only apply to individual landlords who let property in the UK, those who let in a partnership or Trustees of a trust directly holding UK residential property. The new tax rules won’t apply to companies or landlords of furnished holiday lets.

In short, the main change being made under the new tax rules, is that landlords will no longer be able to fully claim tax relief on their mortgage interest payments and related finance costs.

Previously, landlords have been able to deduct a number of allowable expenses along with mortgage and other finance expenses from their rental income and just pay tax on the difference. Now however, tax relief on finance costs will be restricted to the basic rate of Income Tax with the restrictions being phased in gradually from 6 April 2017 until fully in place from 6 April 2020.

You’ll still be able to deduct some of your finance costs when you work out your taxable property profits during the transitional period. These deductions will be gradually withdrawn and replaced with a basic rate relief tax reduction.

Tax year	Percentage of finance costs deductible from rental income	Percentage of basic rate tax reduction
2017/18	75%	25%
2018/19	50%	50%
2019/20	25%	75%
2020/21	0%	100%

We would advise you to take some professional advice regarding how this will affect you based on your particular personal circumstances. There is also more information on the full impact of the changes and case studies published by HMRC which can be accessed on www.gov.uk

Downsizing for Retirement

New research suggests that in the UK, 5.7 million people are considering moving to smaller homes. With the population getting older, many of these will be those downsizing for retirement, either to release equity from their home or to live in a smaller, more manageable property. 

We look at what should be considered when planning this move:

Moving away
Many of those downsizing may also look to move location; to be closer to family or to realise a retirement dream. Think carefully about the impact on your lifestyle and social circle by moving away. Also consider the local amenities, the proximity of shops and the doctor’s surgery, local transport and access to the types of hobbies or clubs that you are interested in. You may want to move to somewhere you have previously only visited when on holiday, so do try and view things through the eyes of a resident rather than a tourist and stay there out of season before making any life changing decision.

Travelling in retirement
For many people, downsizing is a means to releasing equity tied up in their home and you may wish to fund some travel plans. If you plan to be away from home for a considerable time you could rent out your home and earn an income from it during your travels. Here at Belvoir, we can advise on all aspects of letting out your home and can manage it all in your absence.

Cost of moving
Make sure you factor in all the costs of moving as it can be an expensive business. You need to include Estate Agents selling fees, legal costs, removal costs and stamp duty. Quotes for each of these can be obtained in advance so you are fully aware of what you need to allow for.

Starting a new business
It may be your dream to start your own business once you retire. Take time to thoroughly research the business of your choice. Speak to others in the same trade and check out competition in the area. It may be advisable to discuss your plans with an accountant or other business experts and seek out all help and advice that’s available to you.

Positive outlook
Once you have decided on a new location and have started looking for a new home, it is only natural to consider what you are leaving behind. You may have lived in the same house and place for a long time and adjusting to a new property and new area can seem daunting but try and keep a positive outlook on the whole process – this is the start of a new adventure!

Whatever course you decide to take, the key to successful downsizing is to think every element through carefully and not to rush into making the decision. If you are at the early stages of your planning, one of our experienced team can visit your home and give you a market valuation so that you have a figure to work with as you progress your plans. Please pop in and see us, call us on 01264 366611 or email sales@belvoirandover.com

No Deposit? No problem!

Belvoir is now offering a Nil Deposit Scheme for new tenants

Here at Belvoir, we know that it can be a struggle to raise a large deposit to put down on a rented home, so our new Nil Deposit Scheme offers an alternative option which will allow you to move quickly and easily into your chosen new home. 

Rather than paying the usual six week’s rental as a deposit, you can now choose to pay a non-refundable fixed fee of just one week’s rent plus VAT*

At the end of the tenancy, the property will be inspected in the usual way.

No need to save for months for that large deposit – yet another reason to Be with Belvoir!

How does it work? Pop in and see one of our Lettings team to find out if you qualify for Nil Deposit and to understand the full terms and conditions of the Scheme, or call them on 01264 366611


*Terms and Conditions apply

Introducing Vicky Bowman

We are delighted to announce that Vicky Bowman has joined Belvoir as Lettings Manager. Vicky will head up our very successful lettings team and she brings a wealth of experience to the role; having been a Lettings Manager in Andover for over 14 years.

Vicky said 'I am delighted to join such a busy and well-regarded lettings agent and I am looking forward to meeting and working with the many landlords that rely on Belvoir to manage their properties'

Looking after our Landlords with Rent Guarantee Scheme

We are delighted to now be able to offer our Rent Guarantee to all our Landlords. Paid monthly, this unique Guarantee offers complete peace of mind should your tenant default on rent payments.

In the event that a tenant defaults, rent will continue to be paid under the Guarantee whilst the property is occupied and you, the Landlord, will not be out of pocket. In addition, Belvoir will handle the legal process with specialist solicitors to ensure that the tenant is removed from the property. There is no claim process involved and you will not be required to attend at court or instruct solicitors, this is all handled as part of the service.

Without our Rent Guarantee, eviction of tenants for non-payment can be a very expensive and time-consuming process. With it taking typically 6-8 months to gain vacant possession, the cost to a Landlord can be astronomical.

Get in touch and sign up now for the Belvoir Rent Guarantee. At only £22.50 per month, we are recommending that all our Landlords take advantage of this comprehensive protection.