Buy-to-let  

More landlords opt for limited companies

“Being able to set the cost of mortgage interest against income within the limited company will be the main draw and corporation tax is charged at lower rates.

“Tax advice should be a crucial part of the landlord’s decision to use a limited company and help them understand the practical considerations of setting up and using a company as well as the potential for personal tax when withdrawing income from the company.”

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Mr Hollingworth added the growing number of mortgage options for those using limited companies would also help to give landlords more choice to improve the rates on such specialist products.

John Goodall, chief executive at Landbay, said he was seeing a significant increase in landlords who were borrowing within a limited company.

“If a landlord holds their buy-to-let properties within a company structure they will be taxed on profits in the usual way, and the interest they pay will be treated as a cost.”

The market has also seen a number of landlords leave the buy-to-let space due to the changes and in May, as research from Arla Propertymark showed the number of landlords selling their properties had increased by 25 per cent.

The number of new landlords coming to market also took a hit and the number of new buy-to-let purchases dropped 9.1 per cent year-on-year in March.

imogen.tew@ft.com

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