Government to respond to petition calling for reform ...

An online petition which calls on the government to reintroduce full buy-to-let mortgage interest tax relief and abolish the 3% stamp duty surcharge has passed the 10,000-signature mark.

This means that the petition - launched on May 14 by Mark Homer - now requires an official response from the government.

As of Saturday afternoon, the petition - which you can see here - had received 11,261 signatures.

If it reaches 100,000 signatures before November 14, it will be considered for a debate in Parliament.

In April 2016, the government introduced a controversial 3% stamp duty surcharge on the purchase of additional or second homes. A year later, last April, it began the process of reducing the interest tax relief that buy-to-let landlords can claim on their mortgages to the basic rate of income tax.

The wording of the petition claims that the measures are driving landlords away from the rental sector which is 'increasing homelessness' as tenants are faced with 'less choice' and 'higher rents'.

"It is time to review the tax changes on buy-to-let landlords. It’s clear that the availability of rental property has decreased and rents have risen markedly," it says.

"We call for policy change to end these disastrous tax policies which cause such profound suffering."

Back in 2016, Cherie Blair led a failed attempt to seek a Judicial Review of the changes to buy-to-let mortgage interest tax relief.

The case - which was brought by landlords Steve Bolton and Chris Cooper - challenged that Section 24 of the Finance (No 2) Act 2015 discriminated against individual landlords.

*Graham Norwood is on annual leave until May 31. Conor Shilling will be undertaking editorial duties in his absence. Please direct any press enquiries to press@lettingagenttoday.co.uk.