Dale Anderson, project manager at London-based Experience Invest, believes news of recent tax alterations for the housing market may have gone over the heads of a number of residential property owners. Citing an Experience Invest survey on the landlord tax changes, he says: “[In the survey] 85 per cent of British adults were unaware of the tax changes, so it has not been very well publicised as such, and we felt [the government] could have done a bit more. 

“People still see property investment as a number one safe haven compared to stocks and shares. So people need to be aware of the changes, as it may put a lot of people who are currently in the lower tax bracket into the higher rate tax bracket.”

The British perception of property referred to by Mr Anderson is another reason to take a slowdown in overall house price growth seriously. The returns of recent years may have once again fooled clients into believing the only way is up. A corrective to this mindset would prove useful, but in the meantime a review of assets looks sensible.

“We feel people should become better informed on regulations and tax laws so they can make a decision on what to buy and where to buy,” he explains.