Property tax changes from April 2020

Although the Brexit process continues to throw a spanner into the normal workings of government, there are a few certainties from a tax point of view that will be effective from April 2020. A few property related changes are noted in this article:

• Presently, the last 18 months of ownership of a residential property are ignored if a home has been let at any time. From April 2020, this will be reduced to 9 months.
• If your home has been let at any time, or is let when you sell it, there is a letting relief you can claim that can make a significant impact on any Capital Gains Tax payable. From April 2020, you can only take advantage of this lettings relief if you are in shared occupancy with your tenant.
• From April 2020, all finance costs, incurred by UK residents that let residential property, will be disallowed as an expense of their property business. Instead, tax relief on the disallowed finance charges will be restricted to a basic rate (20%) tax credit. This process started on a phased basis on 6 April 2017 and will complete on 5 April 2020.
• UK residents that sell land or property in the UK, after 5 April 2020, will need to prepare a formal CGT computation and return this to HMRC within 30 days of the relevant sale. They will also need to pay any tax due in the same period.