Advice re-mortgaging BTL portfolio into a company

Advice re-mortgaging BTL portfolio into a company

Author
Discussion

EddieSteadyGo

Original Poster:

11,920 posts

203 months

Tuesday 6th December 2016
quotequote all

Wondering if anyone has a view or experience on BTL mortgages within a company.

One of my parents has built up a reasonable BTL portfolio (circa £8.5m with £4m mortgages) but now has a bit of a problem.

They have been purchased gradually over a period of time as an individual, as there were tax benefits at the time of using this approach.

However, with the impending BTL rule changes removing higher rate tax relief on mortgage payments, these need to urgently moved into a Ltd company.

At present each property has an individual mortgage attached to an individual property. The advice is when ownership transfers to the company, the portfolio will need to be re-mortgaged.

Despite building up a relatively large collection of mortgages, we are wondering whether there are particular banks who we may not be aware of who are more amenable to this level of BTL lending to a company?

As always, all comments and suggestions welcome smile

13m

26,280 posts

222 months

Tuesday 6th December 2016
quotequote all
EddieSteadyGo said:
Wondering if anyone has a view or experience on BTL mortgages within a company.

One of my parents has built up a reasonable BTL portfolio (circa £8.5m with £4m mortgages) but now has a bit of a problem.

They have been purchased gradually over a period of time as an individual, as there were tax benefits at the time of using this approach.

However, with the impending BTL rule changes removing higher rate tax relief on mortgage payments, these need to urgently moved into a Ltd company.

At present each property has an individual mortgage attached to an individual property. The advice is when ownership transfers to the company, the portfolio will need to be re-mortgaged.

Despite building up a relatively large collection of mortgages, we are wondering whether there are particular banks who we may not be aware of who are more amenable to this level of BTL lending to a company?

As always, all comments and suggestions welcome smile
What you are planning is massive and expensive ball ache because transferring into a company can trigger CGT and SDLT issues. It can be done, but you need proper advice from a tax advisor, which will probably cost you a five-figure sum.

Also, if they have mortgaged out gains at any point they may have problems.

Lenders - there are a number out there who'll lend to companies. You probably won't enjoy the terms when comparing the deals to historic BTL mortgages though. Seek out a good commercial finance broker.

Edited to add: Don't be surprised if you go to a lot of trouble and expense to do this, only to find that the government changes the rules again in order to catch you out.


EddieSteadyGo

Original Poster:

11,920 posts

203 months

Tuesday 6th December 2016
quotequote all
13m said:
What you are planning is massive and expensive ball ache because transferring into a company can trigger CGT and SDLT issues. It can be done, but you need proper advice from a tax advisor, which will probably cost you a five-figure sum.

Also, if they have mortgaged out gains at any point they may have problems.

Lenders - there are a number out there who'll lend to companies. You probably won't enjoy the terms when comparing the deals to historic BTL mortgages though. Seek out a good commercial finance broker.

Edited to add: Don't be surprised if you go to a lot of trouble and expense to do this, only to find that the government changes the rules again in order to catch you out.
Good point on the broker - does anyone know a good broker who could help with this?

Re CGT and Stamp Duty, we have paid for proper legal advice from counsel and think we have a reasonable way forward with that particular aspect.


13m

26,280 posts

222 months

Tuesday 6th December 2016
quotequote all
EddieSteadyGo said:
13m said:
What you are planning is massive and expensive ball ache because transferring into a company can trigger CGT and SDLT issues. It can be done, but you need proper advice from a tax advisor, which will probably cost you a five-figure sum.

Also, if they have mortgaged out gains at any point they may have problems.

Lenders - there are a number out there who'll lend to companies. You probably won't enjoy the terms when comparing the deals to historic BTL mortgages though. Seek out a good commercial finance broker.

Edited to add: Don't be surprised if you go to a lot of trouble and expense to do this, only to find that the government changes the rules again in order to catch you out.
Good point on the broker - does anyone know a good broker who could help with this?

Re CGT and Stamp Duty, we have paid for proper legal advice from counsel and think we have a reasonable way forward with that particular aspect.
If it's a partnership currently you may be able to reduce the CGT and SDLT to zero. But make sure whoever is giving advice has some skin in the game. Doing it wrong could be financially ruinous.

You could try emailing Sarnie on here. He is a broker but I am not sure if he only does resi owner occupier stuff. Failing that email me and I will put you in touch with someone.


AndStilliRise

2,295 posts

116 months

Tuesday 6th December 2016
quotequote all
Sarnie

Jockman

17,917 posts

160 months

Tuesday 6th December 2016
quotequote all
Eddie you are without the remit of this forum.

You need more specialist advice though I feel safe to advise that the sooner they disinvest the better.

I am in the process of doing so on a smaller scale with my parents.

All the best to you and your family.

EddieSteadyGo

Original Poster:

11,920 posts

203 months

Tuesday 6th December 2016
quotequote all
13m said:
<snip>
If it's a partnership currently you may be able to reduce the CGT and SDLT to zero. But make sure whoever is giving advice has some skin in the game. Doing it wrong could be financially ruinous.
<snip>
Yes, you're right. It does involve an individual, partnership and a preexisting limited company hence why the initial transfer costs can potentially be mitigated.

It is a compete PITA - as things stand now it all works fine but you're right, having to make all of these expensive changes is very unfortunate.

However, continuing 'as is' isn't an option. With the government intending to count all individuals BTL as "income" with only marginal rate tax relief, it ruins what is otherwise a reasonable business.

Sarnie

8,044 posts

209 months

Tuesday 6th December 2016
quotequote all
I may be able to help.

How many properties are we talking about?

Is the company they will be transferred into, an already existing/trading Ltd Company?

Does your Father have any earned income? Or does it come solely from rental income?

Are all the properties in England?

EddieSteadyGo

Original Poster:

11,920 posts

203 months

Tuesday 6th December 2016
quotequote all
Sarnie said:
I may be able to help.

How many properties are we talking about?

Is the company they will be transferred into, an already existing/trading Ltd Company?

Does your Father have any earned income? Or does it come solely from rental income?

Are all the properties in England?
It's actually my clever old Mum, not my Dad smile

Number of properties circa 50

All are in the UK.

All income is from the property business.

Yes the company is already pre-existing and trading, and is owned by the same person.

Sarnie

8,044 posts

209 months

Tuesday 6th December 2016
quotequote all
EddieSteadyGo said:
Sarnie said:
I may be able to help.

How many properties are we talking about?

Is the company they will be transferred into, an already existing/trading Ltd Company?

Does your Father have any earned income? Or does it come solely from rental income?

Are all the properties in England?
It's actually my clever old Mum, not my Dad smile

Number of properties circa 50

All are in the UK.

All income is from the property business.

Yes the company is already pre-existing and trading, and is owned by the same person.
Good work Mum thumbup

Are all the properties in England? I know you've said they are all in the UK, but I asked if they were all in England? Eg are any in Scotland, NI or Eire?

EddieSteadyGo

Original Poster:

11,920 posts

203 months

Tuesday 6th December 2016
quotequote all
Sarnie said:
Good work Mum thumbup

Are all the properties in England? I know you've said they are all in the UK, but I asked if they were all in England? Eg are any in Scotland, NI or Eire?
Didn't mean to be opaque. Yes, all are in England.

Eric Mc

122,029 posts

265 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
quotequote all
And Eire (i.e. the Republic of Ireland) is not in the UK.

Sarnie

8,044 posts

209 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
And Eire (i.e. the Republic of Ireland) is not in the UK.
Just have to be sure Eric! smile

Jobbo

12,972 posts

264 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
quotequote all
Who is giving the SDLT advice? Many accountants seem to shy away from that and, on the face of it, the transfer to a company owned by the same person is a connected person transfer, deemed to be at market value for SDLT purposes.

While there are reliefs (such as multiple dwelling relief) which kick in on a portfolio transfer and reduce the rate of SDLT from the headline residential rate, I'm not sure how your mother will avoid a relatively large SDLT bill.

Eric Mc

122,029 posts

265 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
quotequote all
Sarnie said:
Eric Mc said:
And Eire (i.e. the Republic of Ireland) is not in the UK.
Just have to be sure Eric! smile
The British Isles are rather messy - constitutionally.