A lettings agency that has analysed HMRC data says rental income for buy to let landlords has leaped 15 per cent in just one year - despite the challenges facing the sector.
London agency ludlowthompson, analysing data across the UK, says rental income for buy to let landlords increased to £18.7 billion in 2016-17 (the latest available data) up from £16.2 billion in 2015-16.
ludlowthompson says the figures from HMRC show that buy to let properties have remained amongst the highest yielding mainstream investments.
Total rental income increased by 55 per cent in the last five tax years, while by contrast income from savings and cash ISAs have continued to be low due to low interest rates.
“Buy to let property is now a key part of individuals’ investment portfolios and retirement income. Residential property not only offers investors a stable, regular monthly income, but also offers long-term capital growth. While house prices are not a one-way bet, property has historically been far less volatile than other asset classes, such as shares” according to Stephen Ludlow, the agency’s chairman.
“Some of the increase in rental income will also be from rental growth, which means that rents are largely growing with inflation. Additionally, wage inflation has been growing steadily already over the past few months, and, historically, rental increases track wage increases.
“Ultimately, these figures highlight the real term growth in returns – the fundamental point behind any sound investment.”
The agency says its analysis of buy to let income for landlords shows:
2011-12: £12.1 billion;
2012-13: £13.1 billion;
2013-14: £14.2 billion;
2014-15: £15.0 billion;
2015-16: £16.2 billion;
2016-17: £18.7 billion.
However, many of the most significant fiscal and regulatory changes hitting the private rental sector have been introduced since the end of the 2016-17 tax year.
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Tenants funding the governments increased take on landlords
Ludlow seem to missed out on the expenses of maintenance, hmo licence, expenses to pay for all the regulated issues eg electric niceic certificate, gas certificate, pat, inventory costs and referencing, rent arrears, court costs etc etc. He really should make the appropriate search and look at the net income, not just rental income as that does not reflect the actual profit or loss of profit for rental.
Income may have increased, likely due to higher Rents that have been forced on Tenants by incessant Government interventions.
But Profit has declined due to Taxation.
Basically put, the Govt has raided the PRS, ( who's Next ? )
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