The start of a new calendar year is a time for investors to seek out new opportunities and here we assess the tax considerations for three property sectors.
In recent weeks there has been plenty of clairvoyant predictions being made as to what are going to be the golden tickets for property investors. In speaking with our clients, we have drawn up a list of three sectors which we see as potentially having a bright 2018.
- PRS – Is no longer a dirty word among property professionals, as the government of the day finally acknowledges the housing crisis, it seems clear that well backed private investment will continue to look at this market. HMRC’s view on PRS is the same as for student accommodation in that for tax purposes any fixtures beyond the front door are deemed to be part of a dwelling and for Capital Allowance purposes specifically excluded. However, as with student accommodation, the general circulation areas of the property fall under the landlord’s demise and can attract Capital Allowances. With PRS’s high income generation potential, the availability of Capital Allowances can help provide a valuable role in maintaining investment returns. Veritas Advisory look to drive the level of allowances by understanding the way in which the residential blocks are to be designed with the M&E services the key consideration to determine the level of tax relief.
- Serviced Offices – One of the stories of 2017 with the growth in this sector set to maintain increased market share through 2018. Most traditional office space needs a significant capital outlay to ready the space for a more flexible working environment. For Capital Allowance advisors the ability to relocate moveable partitioning has long provided a discussion point to generate added tax relief. As office spaces become increasingly flexible and adopt technology to manage their space, so there is huge opportunity to attract significant cash savings by claiming Capital Allowances and to reduce the nett cost of refurbishment.
- Health Sector – This sector continues to baffle governments and private enterprise when it comes to looking at how best to utilise buildings across all types of health provision and the role that private investment can or should play. 2018 is unlikely to provide all the answers, but it seems a growing mood to seek out alternate approaches to delivering health services to a growing and ageing population. The ability to obtain funding in this complex sector can sometimes be the biggest hurdle to overcome and particularly at a smaller investment level. At Veritas Advisory we have had recent success in advising a number of doctor and health surgeries owned by its consultants and unlocking significant tax relief on the property from which they work from. This can be on purchase of existing buildings as well as expenditure on refurbishing or developing new premises. For one such example, having spent £250,000 on a refurbishment, we were able to generate £112,000 of tax cash savings to be shared between the three Practice Partners.
If you are considering an investment in any of the three sectors, Veritas Advisory have extensive experience and benchmark data to provide indicative estimates for Capital Allowances.