Plans are afoot to strengthen HMRC (HM Revenue and Customs) to act quickly and robustly against professional tax advisers who help clients avoid paying the correct tax. Propertymark welcomes this because it aligns with our calls to the Treasury, and we support HMRC’s ambition to ensure the financial sector upholds the highest standards and integrity of the tax system.

The UK Government’s Making Tax Digital (MTD) initiative is transforming how taxes are reported and managed, with significant implications for property agents. Self-employed individuals and landlords earning over £50,000 per year must comply with MTD for Income Tax Self-Assessment (ITSA) from 2026, and those earning over £30,000 from April 2027. In her Spring Statement on 26 March 2025, Chancellor Rachel Reeves, MP, announced that the threshold will decrease to £20,000 in 2028.

Cyngor Gwynedd (Gwynedd Council) was quick to use new tax powers to raise the premium rate for second homes and short-term lets (STLs) to a rate of 150% from April 2023 and went on to be the first council to use an Article 4 direction, removing permitted development rights to change a main home into a second home or short-term holiday accommodation, in September 2024. The outcomes of implementing these new measures are being carefully watched by the housing sector.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has seen a spike in Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) repayment requests where it’s claimed a property is not suitable for use (NSFU) as a dwelling so the lower, non-residential rates of SDLT apply. However, over 95% of NSFU claims are found to fall well below the required threshold, leaving property owners at risk of penalties.

In our consultation response, we urged the Welsh Government to reconsider plans to scrap the tax relief, citing the potential for loss of homes and the disproportionate impact on vulnerable tenants. Welsh Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford, MS, has now confirmed that The Land Transaction Tax (Modification of Relief for Acquisitions Involving Multiple Dwellings) (Wales) Regulations 2025, which will take effect on 7 February 2025, will change the rules for tax relief but not abolish it.

Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government Shona Robison, MSP, announced a Budget which, she said would deliver on the priorities of the people of Scotland despite persistent financial pressures. However, her measures do little to address the ongoing housing crisis, and a decision to increase the Additional Dwelling Supplement will discourage new landlords from entering the sector.

Propertymark calls for fiscal policy geared towards stimulating supply in the private rented sector, boosting homeownership, and tackling the scourge of empty commercial properties that blight Welsh communities.

Choosing to sell properties by chain-free auction can avoid lengthy and uncertain buying procedures and save buyers time and money ahead of the Stamp Duty Land Tax increases in April 2025.

Propertymark has welcomed the Welsh Government’s proposal to update the Council Tax system to treat Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) as single dwelling, and ensure that the owner of the property, not the occupant, is responsible for the tax payment. Similar changes were made to the system in England in December 2023.

The proposed tax changes and spending increases laid out by the Chancellor are expected to have a multifaceted impact on the UK economy. It is important to note that the long-term economic impact of these measures will depend on various factors, including the effectiveness of implementation, the response of businesses and consumers, and broader, economic conditions.

Jayne Bryant MS, The Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government has outlined the progress of the controversial Second Homes Pilot Scheme in the Dwyfor areas and expansion plans that 21 other local authorities will charge a council tax premium on second homes and long-term empty properties from April 2025.The Scheme looks to implement higher tax rates for second homes and holiday lets and introduce grants for first-time buyers to renovate empty homes.

The UK’s first female Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, MP, delivered the first Labour Budget for 14 years on 30 October 2024, announcing tax increases worth £40 billion. Whilst agents will be relieved not to see a hike in Capital Gains rates, it is disappointing that the reversal of Section 24 and support for property owners to meet Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards have been overlooked. It is also a missed opportunity to give structured support to first-time buyers and downsizers to boost consumer confidence.

The property expert and MoveiQ founder has agreed with the proposals we submitted in our Autumn Budget representation. This Budget offers Chancellor Rachel Reeves MP a real opportunity to promote much-needed progress in the sector. Her decisions regarding SDLT reform, support for first-time buyers and energy efficiency, and the clarity she provides on landlord taxation, will be crucial in determining the future direction of the UK housing market.

Propertymark has prepared deliverable and achievable spending commitments that will increase the supply of privately rented accommodation, boost owner-occupation, and support landlords and homeowners decarbonise properties. Our proposals include Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) reform to encourage last-time buyers to downsize, reversing Section 24 of the Finance Act, and interest-free energy-efficiency loans.

For many self-employed property agents, self-assessment is how they declare their tax liabilities. However, self-assessment has only been in place since 1996 and was created to streamline the tax collection process for those with untaxed income who declare and pay tax on it. With the move to an online service, HMRC went from zero to 97% of Self-assessment filers submitting their tax returns online.

In the summer budget of 2015, Chancellor George Osbourne, announced his intention to limit the ability of landlords to claim tax relief on finance costs including mortgage fees and mortgage interest payments. Despite the significance of Section 24, it is not clear how landlords have been impacted or of their future intentions. The English PRS is in a state of flux and this research is important to identify and address the challenges.