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Dame Caroline Dinenage, MP for Gosport, secured a key concession in the debate on the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill on the Council Tax valuation of rooms in shared living accommodation.
Caroline tabled an amendment, New Clause 7, to the Bill, with the aim of addressing increasingly common instances of Council Tax being placed on occupants of Homes of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs).
This amendment was developed alongside local businessman Daryn Brewer, who is converting numerous empty shops on Gosport High Street into high quality shared living spaces, with independent shops occupying the lower floor and high-spec HMOs on the upper floors, with shared kitchen, laundry and workspaces.
Caroline has been campaigning on this issue alongside Portsmouth North MP, Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP, for two years. They have attended numerous meetings with Ministers.
Speaking in the debate, Caroline said:
“There is a huge financial strain on people, often young professionals, at the very start of their careers, suddenly landed with a council tax bill of up to £1000, even once they’ve allocated the single person discount.”
“Shared housing is a core pillar of the housing sector. In 2018, HMOs provided 3 million sharers with rental accommodation across England and Wales. So this has the potential to become a major problem.
“Council tax is a property tax, it is not a head tax, and it should not be down to individuals who are simply paying for a bedroom to foot this bill.”
As a result of Caroline’s amendment, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, has written to confirm an accelerated consultation will now investigate how the Valuation Office Agency apply council tax bands, especially to HMOs.
In his letter to Caroline, he said:
“You have very clearly set out concerns that the approach taken to the council tax banding of some properties could act as a deterrent to entering the HMO market, as well as causing financial hardship for tenants. In light of those points, I will consult on the way that HMOs are valued for council tax. This will allow us to ensure that HMOs are valued as a single dwelling, unless exceptional circumstances apply.”
Dehenna Davison, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Levelling-up responded in the debate, saying:
“I am very grateful that we were able to reach a good position on this, and I look forward to working with her and her constituent Mr Brewer on the consultation and beyond to ensure we get this right.”
Speaking after the debate Caroline said:
“I’m delighted that we are finally making progress on this issue which is increasingly causing distress and concern to residents in shared living accommodation in our area. I look forward to working alongside the Minister to ensure this is tackled once and for all.”
An HMO is a dwelling in which multiple residents reside with separate bedroom spaces, but a shared kitchen facility. There are increasingly instances of Council Tax being charged to individual residents, rather than the landlord of the house as a whole, with each living space being falsely counted as a separate dwelling.
Caroline tabled New Clause 7 to ensure Council Tax is charged to the property as a whole, rather than issuing several unaffordable bills to individual occupants.
For more information contact caroline.dinenage.mp@parliament.uk
-To watch Caroline’s full contribution, please go to https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/9272f2d4-bab3-47fe-aa4e-c5d38298f8bb
Article from https://www.caroline4gosport.co.uk/news/caroline-wins-council-tax-victory
SWLA have received many calls from our members in relation to this matter – the council tax rebranding is happening across the UK and affects many HMO landlords. We encourage HMO landlords to raise this matter with their MP to gain as much support as possible.
On Monday 28 November, Business and Energy Secretary Grant Shapps launched a government push to help millions of people across the country bring down their energy costs for this winter and beyond.
It is part of wider action this week across energy policy to help the UK meet its ambition of becoming energy independent.
Under plans announced, the new ECO+ scheme will extend support to those who do not currently benefit from any other government support to upgrade their homes. Joining the existing £6.6 billion ‘Help to Heat’ energy schemes this new £1 billion funding will ensure hundreds of thousands more households benefit from new home insulation and with that, lower bills.
Plus a new £18 million public information campaign will also offer technical tips and advice for people to cut their energy use, while also keeping warm this winter. Alongside the impact on their bills from the Energy Price Guarantee, the campaign will demonstrate how consumers can make significant savings.
Of the £1 billion funding available through the new ECO+ scheme, around 80% of the funding will be made available for those households who are in some of the least energy-efficient homes in the country – that is, those with an EPC rating of D or below – and in the lower Council Tax bands.
This will benefit those households who do not currently benefit from any other government support to upgrade their homes. Around a fifth of the fund will also be targeted to those who are the most vulnerable, including those on means tested benefits or in fuel poverty.
On top of this, the government will significantly expand its Help for Households campaign to help customers to reduce their own household energy usage and bills, while also giving vulnerable groups the right information for doing this without harming their health.
This includes promoting some of the government’s top recommended actions to help households save money on their energy bills, such as:
It also comes ahead of the Business and Energy Secretary setting out his latest package of measures to deliver home-grown, affordable energy – helping to cut bills and bolster the country’s long-term energy security and independence.
Business and Energy Secretary Grant Shapps said:
The government put immediate help in place to support households in the wake of global energy price rises caused by Putin’s illegal march on Ukraine. Today, we launch the first of many measures to ensure the British public are never put in this position again as we work towards an energy independent future.
A new ECO scheme will enable thousands more to insulate their homes, protecting the pounds in their pockets, and creating jobs across the country.
And in the short term, our new public information campaign will also give people the tools they need to reduce their energy use while keeping warm this winter.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt said:
With Putin’s war driving up gas prices worldwide, I know many families are feeling worried about their energy bills this winter and beyond. Our extensive energy support package is insulating people from the worst of this crisis, but we’re also supporting people to permanently cut their costs.
In the longer term, we need to make Britain more energy independent by generating more clean, affordable, home-grown power, but we also need more efficient homes and buildings.
Our new ECO+ scheme will help hundreds of thousands of people across the UK to better insulate their homes to reduce consumption, with the added benefit of saving families hundreds of pounds each year.
Making homes more energy efficient is the best way to cut household energy use and is already helping reduce household energy bills, while also creating jobs across the country.
Since it was launched in January 2013, the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) schemes have delivered as many as 3.5 million energy-efficiency measures in around 2.4 million homes. The ECO+ scheme, which will run from spring 2023 for up to 3 years, extends that support even further and will see hundreds of thousands of households receive new insulation, saving them around £310 a year.
By rolling out predominantly low-cost insulation measures such as loft insulation and cavity wall insulation, the ECO+ scheme will support the government’s new ambition to reduce the UK’s final energy consumption from buildings and industry by 15% by 2030. The £1 billion scheme is backed by a new £6 billion investment to contribute to the existing £6.6 billion energy efficiency funding pot.
The new funding pot will also provide long-term funding certainty across for the industry, supporting the growth of supply chains and green jobs in the sector, as the government takes further action to tackle fuel poverty and reduce energy bills.
Improving the energy efficiency of UK homes is a crucial part of the government’s strategy. Thanks to government support so far, the number of homes with an energy efficiency rating of C or above is at 46% and rising, up from just 13% in 2010. We are investing over £6.6 billion over this Parliament to help decarbonise homes and buildings, and to ensure all homes meet EPC band C by 2035. An additional £6 billion of new government funding will be made available from 2025 to 2028. Further details on allocation of additional funding will follow in due course.
To further support households and help meet the government’s new energy demand reduction target, the government has also expanded its public awareness campaign to help reduce bills for households and protect vulnerable people over the winter and beyond. Backed by £18 million, this campaign will complement existing government support schemes. such as the Energy Price Guarantee and the Energy Bills Support Scheme and the information provided will save households money. For example, if a typical household reduced their boiler flow temperature from 75⁰C to 60⁰C and turned down radiators in empty rooms, they could save £160 a year on their energy bill at current prices. This also has the benefit of reducing the temperature a boiler heats water to before sending it to radiators, while making no difference to the temperature a room is actually heated to.
Information will be available on the existing Help for Households website.
The government is delivering a new energy demand reduction target announced at the Autumn Statement to reduce energy demand by 15% by 2030.
The £6 billion of new government funding to back this target will be made available from 2025 to 2028.
This provides long-term funding certainty, supporting the growth of supply chains, and ensuring we can scale up our delivery over time.
Further details on allocation for this additional funding will follow in due course.
This is on top of £6.6 billion of existing spend in this parliament through Help to Heat schemes including the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, Home Upgrade Grant and Local Authority Delivery Scheme.
The existing ECO scheme (known as ECO4) is targeted at those who need support most; those in social housing, on a low-income or fuel poor. However, with the significant increase in energy bills, the government intends up to 80% of ECO+ to help a wider customer base who are currently not eligible for support under existing government-backed energy efficiency schemes.
The UK Government intends to lay necessary legislation for the scheme to launch in spring 23 and run until March 26. However, the government also plans to work with energy suppliers to explore the potential for some earlier delivery in 2023.
The consultation will run from 28 November to 23 December.
SWLA encourage landlords to take part in the consulation here; https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/design-of-the-energy-company-obligation-eco-2023-2026
Article by gov.uk
There is a shortage of homes in Plymouth – can you help?
Demand for private rented accommodation has seen significant increases over the past 2 years. At the same time we are seeing an increasing number of households approaching us as homeless or at serious risk of homelessness. There are more single persons, couples and families than ever in temporary accommodation including bed and breakfast, waiting to move on to a home.
Plymouth City Council are reaching out to you as we believe you are either a landlord, or agent, who may be able to help be a part of the solution!
If you have under-occupied buildings such as HMO’s, if you have tenants that are moving out and need to organise re-letting, or if you have ideas on what could work better, then we want to hear from you.
The below link will take you to a form which will capture information surrounding either vacancies you currently hold, or are anticipating in the near future, and also allows you to make suggestions regarding longer-term solutions. The form only takes a couple of minutes to complete and could save you time and money by helping you to occupy your building.
We also have 2 existing schemes in the City which means you may be able to help with the current shortage of homes.
1 If you are interested in leasing your property to us at a guaranteed monthly rental please contact communityconnections@plymouth.gov.uk in the first instance with the subject title Houselet.
2) Owners of empty properties who are interested in letting their properties to those in need of accommodation in the city can contact Plymouth Homes4Let (PH4L): https://www.ph4l.co.uk/ PH4L is a local letting agency that works with the Council, managing properties on behalf of owners.
Thanks in advance and we look forward to hearing from you.
Article by Plymouth City Council
SWLA Trade Point Members receive 10% off on top of these deals. All Black Friday deals are whilst stock lasts.
Click here to view the deals; BlackFriday_Flyer_A5_12pp_small
A report by the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) on the Income Tax rules for residential property income. The report looks into the common issues and concerns facing taxpayers and outlines several key recommendations for change.
In this report the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) considers the UK taxation of income from residential property, primarily in relation to individuals. Nearly one in ten Income Tax payers have income from property, underlining its importance within the UK economy and tax system.
Across the spectrum of sophistication and scale of activities, the 2.9 million property businesses reported by individuals to HMRC for income tax must face the rules for taxation of income from property. This report contains findings and recommendations to help reduce complexity and enhance understanding of taxpayers’ obligations.
This report also covers the general regime for property and the confusion and challenge raised by large numbers of respondents about matters such as the allocation of income between joint owners, and in relation to rules which cause significant distortions or complexity such as the circumstances for diversified agricultural businesses.
The report looks in detail at how Making Tax Digital for Income Tax will affect landlords, and questions whether the initial and medium term threshold for entry into the new system should be increased above £10,000.
The report looks at non-resident landlords and encourages HMRC to make it easier for them to register for and report their income online for UK tax purposes. It also recommends that the government should consider removing the obligation on individual residential tenants in some situations to withhold tax from their rental payments to non-resident landlords.
Article by GoSimpleTax
There are about 2.6m private landlords in the UK, and although some have large, lucrative property portfolios, 43% of private residential landlords in England rent out just one property. About 39% rent out two to four properties, while 18% rent out five or more. It’s a similar story elsewhere in the UK.
Sometimes people become “accidental landlords”, for example, after inheriting a property which they rent out rather than sell. In other cases, people move to another UK or overseas location and rent out their former home, which provides welcome additional income, as well as a sound retirement investment.
If you’ve just become a residential landlord or you’re interested in becoming one, naturally you’ll want to know the answer to one key question – “how much UK tax will I pay on my rental income?”
How much tax will you pay on your rental income?
Need to know!
To pay tax via Self Assessment you must first register with HMRC. If you don’t normally file a tax return, you must register for Self Assessment by 5 October following the end of the tax year (5 April) within which you had rental income to report.
Your rental income will be added to your other taxable income and once allowances and reliefs have been claimed, you’ll be taxed on what’s left. The Income Tax band into which you fall will determine the size of your tax bill.
Claiming allowable expenses
For an expense to be allowable/deductible, it must result “wholly and exclusively” from renting out your property. If you use something for personal and landlord reasons, such as a mobile phone, you can only claim allowable expenses for calls you make for renting out and managing your property.
You claim allowable expenses by summarising them within your Self Assessment tax return, as well as your rental income and other sources of taxable income. Then HMRC will tell you how much Income Tax you owe.
Need to know! The online filing deadline for your Self Assessment tax return is midnight on 31 January following the end of the tax year in which you had taxable income. The UK tax year runs from 6 April until 5 April.
What allowable expenses can landlords claim?
Allowable expenses that landlords can claim can include:
What expenses can’t landlords claim?
You cannot claim mortgage capital repayments as an allowable expense. Neither can you claim for mortgage interest payments or other finance-related costs (eg mortgage-arrangement fees). Instead, you get a 20% tax credit to cover such outgoings.
When replacing things, for example, a toilet or burglar alarm, you cannot claim a full allowable expense if the replacement is of superior value. You can only claim for a “like for like” amount as an allowable expense.
Improving a property, for example, by adding an extension, cannot be claimed as an allowable expense, because you’re making a “capital improvement”. Later, if you sell the property, you may be able to claim capital expenses against Capital Gains Tax.
Need to know! You can’t claim an allowable expense for replacing sofas, beds, carpets, curtains, furnishings, white goods, etc in a furnished or part-furnished rental property. But you might be able to claim Replacement Domestic Items relief, which will also reduce your Income Tax bill. Once again, you cannot claim for something of superior value.
What about undeclared rental income?
If, for whatever reason, you’ve earned rental income that you haven’t reported via Self Assessment, you can tell HMRC about it by means of a “voluntary disclosure”. There may be a penalty to pay, but it will be lower than it would be if HMRC finds that you’ve failed to report taxable rental income. Visit government website GOV.UK to find out more.
Income, Expenses and tax submission all in one. GoSimpleTax will provide you with tips that could save you money on allowances and expenses you might have missed.
Software submits directly to HMRC and is the digital solution for Landlords to record income, expenses and file their self-assessment giving hints on savings along the way.
Covering all self-assessment pages, not just property, GoSimpleTax does all the calculations for you.
Saturday 19th November 2022 10am – 5pm & Sunday 20th November 2022 10am – 4.30pm
Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, BA4 6QN
Register below for free entry for 2 people;
Thank you to our members who attended our speaker meeting at the Future Inn on Tuesday – we had around 50 members attend and it was great to see and speak to everyone.
Thank you to our brilliant speakers;
Calum Levy and Stella Goodman from Excaliber Associates – Calum gave an update on rate rises, recession, the borrowing market now and what it may look like over the coming months. A very interesting presentation which gave our attendees an insight into the current BTL situation.
Sue Pope from Health & Safety Matters – an interesting and informative presentation regarding The Regulatory Reform Act and how it impacts landlords and their rental properties. Landlords were reminded of their fire safety responsibilities and many questions were raised and answered.
We look forward to seeing everyone again on Wednesday 25th January 2023 at 7.30pm for the SWLA AGM.
£50 for Annual Membership starting 1st November 2022
BACS
If paying by BACS, please include your full name (and where possible your membership number).
CHEQUE
Make cheques payable to SWLA. Please write your full name (and where possible your membership number) on the back of the cheque.
Send to; SWLA, 30 Dale Road, Plymouth PL4 6PD
CARD PAYMENT
Call the office or pop in to pay by card. Opening hours 10am – 3pm Monday to Friday.
01752 510913
Your receipt will be emailed when payment has been received unless a paper copy is requested. A membership card is no longer automatically issued but can be requested or picked up from the office.
Please let us know if you do not wish to renew, or if any of your contact details have changed.
Landlord Training and Accreditation – ONLY £65 for a one day course. Be professional, be accredited. See website for all upcoming training course details.
**PLEASE NOTE – THIS IS NOT AN SWLA WEBINAR – PLEASE SIGN UP BY CLICKING THE LINK BELOW IF YOU WISH TO ATTEND** Martyn Taylor of Ashley Taylors Legal invites all SWLA members to the following free landlord webinar; When – 11am Wednesday 5th October 2022 Subject – Carbon Monoxide Alarm (amendment) Regulations 2022 plus other updates on disrepair claims Where– Zoom Wednesday 5th October at 1100am Martyn Taylor is giving another of his (now highly popular) short webinars on the subject of Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations which came into force 01/10/2022 for Landlords. He will also be adding in the latest issues surrounding the ever growing disrepair claims from tenants and how to create some protection for you plus …………………some other updates on what’s happening in the L&T market. Webinars are free and generally last a maximum of 40 minutes. If you would like to sign up, please click the following registration link to register in advance; https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_oeSWaCBYRTCyrTL-GJbhBQ After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. The webinar is limited to 1000 attendees on a first come, first served basis.
The Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England has agreed to raise interest rates by 0.5 per cent to 2.25 per cent.
The vote was a 5-4 majority and reflects differing opinions amongst the committee – five members voted to raise base rate by 0.5 per cent; three members wanted a larger 0.75 per cent hike; and one wanted a smaller 0.25 percentage points.
Tim Bannister, Rightmove’s analyst, says: “Although the majority of people are on fixed rate mortgages, there’s a looming concern for those with their terms due to end over the next six months or so as interest rates continue to creep up. It’s likely that those who choose to fix again will find that rates have doubled in some cases since they last locked in, and so despite paying down some of their debt they could find their new monthly mortgage payments are higher, even if they’ve moved into a lower LTV bracket and have built up equity. They will now face the tough decision of moving to a tracker mortgage in the hope that interest rates drop again soon, or taking another fixed deal for a bit more certainty on their outgoings.”
Jeremy Leaf, north London estate agent and a former RICS residential chairman, says: “From our experience on the ground, the impact of the interest rate rise will be felt most with regard to confidence to move and take on debt. The increase will impact first-time buyers and new borrowers particularly, bearing in mind approximately 80 per cent of borrowers are on fixed rates.
“However, with UK Finance forecasting that 1.8m deals are due to end at some point next year, there will be plenty of borrowers looking for new mortgage deals at a time when rates are likely to be considerably higher. Although rates are still low compared with their historical average, the impact is exacerbated by continuing worries about inflation and the economy generally.
“The longer the climate of higher interest rates persists, the more likely it is that people will consider selling, leading to a softening in prices. However, it is worth remembering that around 50 per cent of homeowners are not dependent on mortgage finance at all so will be unaffected.”
Tomorrow the new Chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, will set out details of a so-called government growth plan, estimated to cost up to £150 billion. Prime Minister Liz Truss has vowed to cut taxes, including a possible stamp duty cut as well as undoing the rise in National Insurance brought in by her predecessor Boris Johnson. She has also said she would temporarily scrap green levies on energy bills, in a bid to bring down prices for consumers.
Nathan Emerson, the chief executive of Propertymark, says: “Recent rises have been so widely spoken about that this has fed directly into consumer sentiment and has left some people uneasy about moving home, but those looking to enter the market should not be spooked by this. Despite increases, the majority of buyers and sellers are taking advantage of the cooling off in house prices and the slight easing in competition, and they continue to enter a strong and healthy market.”
Article from Letting Agent Today
Future Fit is a local partnership between Plymouth Energy Community (PEC) and Plymouth City Council which has one key aim – to help our local community stay warm and save money by upgrading their homes.
Plymouth Energy Community is a charity and a social enterprise that want to make a better future for our local community, and the planet. So, by helping your tenants to have warmer homes and lower their heating costs, we’re also reducing greenhouse gas emissions and working towards climate change.
how does it work
Am I eligible?
Our eligibility criteria is as follows:
What happens Next
Organising these schemes working with multiple funding sources and different installers can get complicated, so this process helps us to keep things ordered.
WHAT KIND OF HOME IMPROVEMENTS?
There are lots of ways we can help improve your property. It all depends on what your property needs and what eligibility criteria you meet. Some of the improvements we may be able to make are:
PEC’S ROLE:
PEC is acting as an advisory and support service, helping homeowners to identify experienced and competent installers who can undertake the works for them.
PEC is not acting as a broker or an agent in this process and is not procuring services on the Council or customer’s behalf.
PEC will:
For more information see the Plymouth Energy Community website; https://plymouthenergycommunity.com/
On the day of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, our offices will be closed as a mark of respect.
The office will reopen at 10am on Tuesday 20th September.
Renting Minefield Energy Efficiency – The world (& the law) is changing
Wednesday 22nd September 2022
Exeter Racecourse, Haldon Hill, EX2 4DE
5.00pm – DOORS OPEN
5.00pm to 6.00pm NETWORKING
6.00pm
Chair: Hannah Darling (National Residential Landlords Association)
6.05pm
What questions should you be asking the professionals – and yourself?
Dick Scott (Monitor BCS)
6.30pm
Decarbonising Homes with solar PV and other technologies
Paul Rogers (National Energy Action)
7.00pm to 8.00pm NETWORKING
8.00pm
A Practical Illustration of a Landlord`s legal Duties, Today and Tomorrow!
Phil Keddie (Sunshine Property Consultants)
8.20pm
Supporting tenants through the cost of living crisis
Exeter Community Energy & Lendology CIC
8.40pm
Property Tax Update
Debbie Franklin, Peplows
9.00pm FINISH
There is free parking.
Register for your free place now here.
For more information please contact 01392 265833 email claire.hope@exeter.gov.uk
GoSimpleTax: Demystifying Landlord tax and expenses when filing your tax return
Sign-up Link – https://meet.zoho.com/s00COjUzQ8
Date: Thursday 22nd September at 11am.
Description – GoSimpleTax’s in-house tax expert, Aiden Corcoran, will look to de-mystify landlord tax and expenses. Aiden will talk about…
Questions can be emailed in advance to leeanne.ogden@gosimpletax.co.uk
Presenter Bio
AIDEN CORCORAN
PERSONAL TAX SENIOR
Aiden has joined the GoSimpleTax team as a Chartered Tax Advisor, sharing his wealth of knowledge via our support desk and webinars. Aiden has 8 years of tax knowledge with him and aims to help develop new services.
**PLEASE NOTE, THIS IS NOT AN SWLA WEBINAR**
Landlords legal responsibilities – Annual Gas Safety Checks
We are proud to be supporting Gas Safety Week 2022, taking place 12 – 18 September.
Gas Safety Week is an annual safety week to raise awareness of gas safety and the importance of taking care of your gas appliances. It is coordinated by Gas Safe Register, the official list of gas engineers who are legally allowed to work on gas.
Badly fitted and poorly serviced gas appliances can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions, and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. CO is a highly poisonous gas that can kill quickly with no warning, as you cannot see it, taste it, or smell it.
Landlords are legally responsible for the safety of their tenants. Landlords must make sure maintenance and annual safety checks on gas appliances are carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer to ensure their tenants and wider communities stay safe.
If you’re a landlord, you are legally obliged to make sure:
Before any gas work is carried out always check the engineer is qualified to carry out the work that needs doing e.g., natural gas, domestic boiler. You can find this information on the Gas Safe Register website or by checking the back of the engineer’s Gas Safe ID card. Encourage your tenants to also check the card when the engineer arrives at the property, and to be aware of any warning signs that their gas appliance is working incorrectly, such as dark or sooty staining, excess condensation and pilot lights which frequently blow out.
For more information and to find or check an engineer visit GasSafeRegister.co.uk.
Private landlords, letting agents and anyone else involved in letting property are invited to East Devon’s premier event on 22 September 2022 from 5pm at Exeter Racecourse. In partnership with Exeter City Council and Teignbridge District Council.
There will be exhibitions from specialist companies covering all aspects of property management and energy efficiency. As well as support businesses and organisations to help smooth the tenancy pathway. There will be a range of professionals on hand to answer your questions.
Helpful bite-size talks throughout the evening will focus on energy efficiency; accessing finance for retrofit projects; financial advice; updates on recent policy and legislation changes.
Doors open at 5.00pm for networking opportunities and refreshments. Bite-size talks start from 6.00pm.
Exeter Racecourse, Haldon, Near Exeter, EX2 4DE
There is free parking.
Register for your free place now here.
For more information please contact 01392 265833 email claire.hope@exeter.gov.uk
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC) has dismissed concerns from HMO student landlords that its plans to bring in periodic tenancies will damage the sector.
Under the proposals, students will be able to give two months’ notice at any time, making finding a replacement very difficult. Students will also be able to remain in the property after the end of the academic year as there will be no fixed term.
In its response, the DLUHC explains that while it expects most students to continue to move in line with the academic year, some might face circumstances beyond their control and will need to vacate a property early, or could be locked into contracts for poor quality housing.
A department spokesman says: “Some students have families, local roots, live with non-students, or have other reasons why they may wish to remain in the property. We do not think it would be fair to apply different rules to students who often require the same level of security as other tenants, or face poor standards within the private rented sector. Therefore, all students who are renting a private home will have periodic tenancies, providing the same certainty as all other tenants will enjoy.”
It adds that it is fair to exclude purpose-built student accommodation landlords who have joined government approved codes of practice from the new regime as these codes set, “vigorous standards for the safety of student accommodation, the management of the property and the relationship between managers and student tenants”.
SWLA hope that this decision within the Rental Reform is rethought, so that students and landlords can continue to secure their next academic year’s tenancies early and have some certainty with their accommodation/letting plans.
Article Abridged from Landlord Zone
The system allowing Adjusted checks (using Zoom calls and copies of documents for example), ends on 30 September 2022.
From 1 October 2022, agents and landlords responsible for tenancy applications and repeat Right to Rent checks will need to revisit their processes in readiness either for a return to manual face-to-face checks (which will still be permitted where someone shows eligible identification as a UK and Irish citizen) or be signed up to one of the proptech service providers certified by the UK Government as a digital identity service provider (IDSP). Checks on overseas nationals will need to be processed using the Home Office’s share code system which can be accessed by agents and landlords, free of charge.
Adjusted checks were introduced as part of COVID-19 measures to reduce face-to-face contact and were extended while the Home Office worked to introduce a robust digital solution for checks on UK and Irish nationals. Once Adjusted Right to Rent checks end, where a landlord wants to offer a digital check to those with UK and Irish ID, the landlord will need to be signed up to an IDSP incurring a chargeable service. Alternatively, landlords will be able to offer manual, face-to-face checks where the applicant offers eligible UK or Irish ID. Where landlords do choose to utilise an IDSP, they must make allowance for British and Irish nationals who choose for their identity to be verified offline and must not discriminate on this basis.
Digital checks on overseas nationals can be conducted simply and without incurring external costs using a digital share code and date of birth provided by the applicant and checked via the real-time Home Office system.
Follow up Right to Rent checks remain as important as ever
If landlords have been unable to obtain the repeat Right to Rent check for an overseas national during a tenancy, the Home Office should be notified in order that the landlord establishes a ‘Statutory Excuse’ which will provide the legal audit trail against any overstayer and/or a civil penalty.
Note – the date on which adjusted Right to Rent checks ends may be pushed back – it has been before! If there are any changes to this date – we will keep members informed.
Article Abridged from Propertmark
For in depth Right to Rent Guides and information, see the gov.uk website;
Landlord’s guide to right to rent checks
Check your tenant’s right to rent
Monthly direct debit users. Will see the grant paid automatically by your supplier – either refunded straight into your bank account, or in the form of a direct debit reduction.
Standard credit customers. This includes those who pay by cash, card or cheque after receiving a monthly or quarterly bill. You’ll get the payment automatically – all suppliers will pay this in the first week of each month between October 2022 and March 2023. It’ll typically be added as credit to your energy account.
Smart prepayment meter customers. You’ll get the grant automatically as credit applied directly to your meter in the first week of each month. However, one concern is that credit is typically paid towards your electricity use, not your gas. Bulb, for example, is making the credit transferable, but we want more suppliers to follow suit and it’s an issue we’ll push on.
Traditional prepayment meter customers. Ensure your supplier has up-to-date contact details for you as your money will be sent as six separate vouchers via text, email or post – which you’ll need to redeem by topping up as normal in a shop or post office. You’ll have three months to redeem each voucher – and if you lose them or they expire, they can only be reissued up until 31 March 2023.
Article Abridged by MSE
Article By GoSimpleTax
Going into business with a partner or partners can offer many benefits. You can gain from other people’s talent, ideas, knowledge, skill, contacts and cash, just as they can gain from yours. You can also share the workload, risk and responsibilities, while avoiding feelings of isolation that can happen when running a business on your own.
The UK has some 384,000 ordinary business partnerships, which is about 7% of the total business population. And whether it’s friends, family, partners, spouses or colleagues, many people continue to start and run a business with partners.
Moreover, in recent years, more people are forming partnerships with others to buy and rent out properties they own as private landlords. There can certainly be many advantages to this, whether that’s linked to tax or simply sharing responsibility and risk.
Members of ordinary business partnerships and those who rent out property through a partnership report taxable income via the SA800 Partnerships Tax Return.
In this guide we explain:
What the SA800 is.
What is an “SA800”?
An SA800 Partnership Tax Return (usually shortened to “Partnership Tax Return”) is the tax return that members of ordinary partnerships must complete and file to tell HMRC about the partnership’s income and “disposals of chargeable assets” (ie selling an asset).
As explained by HMRC in its guidance notes: “Every partnership gets the first eight pages of the Partnership Tax Return covering income from trades and professions, and interest or alternative finance receipts from banks, building societies or deposit takers. There are other ‘supplementary’ pages covering the less common types of income and disposals of chargeable assets.”
Need to know! In addition to the main SA800 tax return, each partner must also file a personal tax return (SA100) and the SA104 supplementary pages to declare their share of any profit or loss. Submitting the SA100 and the SA104 determines how much tax, if any, individual partners must pay. Often this gets missed and results in partners being fined by HMRC. A separate page must be completed for each partnership someone belongs to.
How to register a business partnership
You must register your partnership for Self Assessment with HMRC if you’re the ‘nominated partner’ (the partner responsible for tax and filing the partnership tax return).
You must register before 5 October in your business partnership’s second tax year, otherwise there could be a penalty to pay. The other partners must register themselves separately as a partner. You won’t be able to file an SA800 Partnership Tax Return or a tax return for yourself unless you’re registered.
SA800 Partnership Tax Return supplementary pages
Some types of income are taxed differently when earned through a partnership, for example, rental income or income earned from outside of the UK. You must tell HMRC about these in the SA800 and then provide details in supplementary pages. Such sources of income and the supplementary pages used to report them include:
You use supplementary pages SA800(PS) to declare earnings from sources that aren’t trading/professional income.
You use supplementary pages SA800(TP) to record income from more than one trade or profession on your SA800 Partnership Tax Return.
You use supplementary pages SA801 to record UK property income on your SA800 Partnership Tax Return.
You use supplementary pages SA802 to complete your SA800 Partnership Tax Return if your partnership generated income from outside of the UK.
You use supplementary pages SA803 to complete your SA800 Partnership Tax Return if your partnership “disposed of any chargeable assets” (eg stocks, shares, land and buildings, business assets such as goodwill, etc).
You use supplementary pages SA804 to record savings, investments and other income on your SA800 Partnership Tax Return.
Responsibility for filling out and filing an SA800
By law, the partner nominated by the other partnership members must complete the SA800 Partnership Tax Return and either send it by post to HMRC or file it online using commercial filing software.
The nominated partner is usually chosen when the partnership is set up, but HMRC can choose someone if no one has been selected. If an SA800 Partnership Tax Return has been issued by HMRC in the name of a specific partner, they’re required by law to complete and file it.
Need to know! When reporting profit or loss, the split must accord with the terms of the partnership agreement. In most cases the share is the same for each partner, although it’s not always the case.
How to file your SA800 Partnership Tax Return
SA800 Partnership Tax Return filing deadlines
SA800 Partnership Tax Return late-filing penalties
If you don’t file your SA800 Partnership Tax Return before the paper or online deadline, whichever one you choose, each member of the partnership during the tax return period must pay a £100 penalty, unless you have a valid reason for being late.
If the partners still fail to file their SA800, each partner will be charged:
Need to know! You must complete the Partnership Tax Return in full. If you have a disability that makes filling in the return difficult HMRC can help you complete the form.
What happens after HMRC receives your SA800?
After receiving it, HMRC will process your Partnership Tax Return using the figures you have entered. If there are any obvious mistakes, HMRC will correct them and let you know. HMRC may also contact you if it has any queries over the figures you’ve entered.
HMRC has 12 months from the date of filing to check your SA800 Partnership Tax Return and any supplementary pages. It can ask you to provide accounting figures from which you took the figures you entered in the tax return. These can also be checked against your bank account figures.
All partnership members are responsible for the accuracy of their SA800 Partnership Tax Return. The partnership should retain records of all its business transactions. You must keep these for at least six years and show them to HMRC on request.
SA800: tax payment deadlines
The deadlines for paying your tax bill are:
Income, Expenses and tax submission all in one. GoSimpleTax will provide you with tips that could save you money on allowances and expenses you might have missed.
Our software submits directly to HMRC and is the digital solution for Landlords to record income, expenses and file their self-assessment giving hints on savings along the way.
Covering all self-assessment pages, not just property, GoSimpleTax does all the calculations for you.
