Buy-to-let mortgage demand increases:

Lenders are expecting more activity in the but-to-let market in 2016 than this time last year. A survey by the Bank of England stated 60% of lenders expected demand to grow over the coming months. All the early signs this year show they are correct as demand is up 27% on the same period last year. Buy-to-let investors face a 3% surcharge on stamp duty as of April this year and it is believed this has fuelled the market.

Legal challenge funding:

The landlords mounting a legal challenge to the Government’s proposals to increase taxation on buy-to-let investments have to date raised over £43000 in under a week. Two private landlords are leading this challenge and have been looking for financial help towards the action. They set up a crowdfunding page via website Crowd Justice on Boxing Day and have already nearly met their £50000 target. To date over 600 people have contributed cash to help fund the legal challenge later this year.

Limited company buy-to-let

The number of investors purchasing buy-to-let properties through a limited company rose sharply in the final quarter of 2015. Two out of five of all new buy-to-let applications originated from limited companies and this is setting the trend for 2016.

Tax Challenge

Buy-to-let investors are set to challenge the government’s “very unfair” new plans to increase the controversial tax known as “Clause 24”. Under the new measures, new buy-to-let investors will be liable to tax even if their newly acquired property generates a profit or not and they ask, how can this be fair?