Lenders’ body calls for halt to government intervention in the buy-to-let market

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Mortgage Finance:

A leading association for mortgage lenders, The Intermediary
Lenders Association (IMLA) is calling on the Government to put a stop to its
legislative interventions in the buy-to-let market.

As reported by financialreporter.co.uk,
the IMLA’s new report is warning the Government that the private rented sector
is “still absorbing the adverse effects from recent tax and regulatory changes�,
which it says “may force some landlords out of the sector”.

“We are concerned
that layers of government intervention have adversely affected small-scale
landlords’ ability and appetite to invest in properties over recent years,”
says the IMLA.

Any more changes, it says, would have an adverse effect on “much-needed�
tenant choice and potentially raise rents.

The IMLA says, The English Private Landlord Survey 2018,
published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, shows
for the first time that professional landlords now account for a bigger
proportion of the PRS than small-scale landlords.

According to the Government survey professional landlords
now represent 48% of the PRS, which is up from 38% in 2010. At the same time the
number of single-property landlords has dropped from 40% to just 21% over the
nine year period.

Legislative changes were cited in responses to the survey as
the main reason for small-scale landlords planning to sell some or all of their
properties – 61% cited these legislative changes as the reason.

Kate Davies, executive director of IMLA, commented: 

“The UK’s private rented sector is under significant
pressure. Landlords up and down the country are effectively having to fill the
gap left by a shrinking social housing sector that is struggling to accommodate
demand from lower income households.

“At the same time, it must continue to meet the needs of
people who either want the flexibility of renting or who are not yet able to
step onto the housing ladder in the face of increasing house prices and tighter
mortgage regulation.

“We are concerned that layers of government intervention
have adversely affected small-scale landlords’ ability and appetite to invest
in properties over recent years.

“As increased tax and regulatory responsibilities
increasingly disincentivise landlords, we face a possible topping out of the
PRS. While it’s good to see professional and institutional investors increasing
their stake in the nation’s housing stock, the number of one-property buy-to-let
investors has fallen by almost half.

“Squeezing the PRS puts the pressure on millions of renters
in Britain. We are strong advocates of a fair market with a quality supply of
homes. Restricting the PRS risks a lack of supply, rising rents and a fall in
the quality of rental accommodation.

“We have repeatedly called for Government to put the brakes
on regulating and taxing our nation’s landlords. We urge a more moderate
approach to ensure our private rental sector remains strong for the millions of
renters who rely on it.�

New IMLA report: ‘Buy-to-let: under pressure’

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