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	Landlord's Energy Saving Allowance By Simon Thompson

The Landlord Energy Saving Scheme (LESA) can save up to £1,500 in income tax on every buy to let property in an investor’s portfolio simply by buying in to energy efficiency products for the home.

HM Revenue and Customs is running the scheme until April 5, 2015 – and LESA runs alongside the Green Deal for Landlords.

How does LESA work?

A landlord invests in buying and installing energy efficiency products for the buy to let and then reclaims up to £1,500 per property per year through the property pages on the self-assessment tax return.

What are the energy efficiency products that qualify?

A number of home improvements come under LESA -

• Insulation for lofts and walls
• Draught-proofing
• Insulating the hot water system by lagging pipes and water tanks
• Underfloor insulation

Does LESA apply to overseas letting properties?

Yes, providing the landlord pays tax in the UK on any rental profits

What if I own more than a single buy to let?

LESA applies to buy to let homes and houses in multiple occupation (HMOs), and the landlord can claim up to a maximum of £1,500 per property in a tax year. If the property comprises six flats, the landlord can claim up to £1,500 for each flat.

What if the property is jointly owned?

If you jointly own property, you can either claim LESA according to your cash input in to the improvement or by your percentage ownership of the property.

So, if you paid out £500 towards the improvements costing £1,500, you can claim £500 as your share of the LESA relief or £750 if you are a 50:50 joint owner.

I installed the improvements; can I still charge my time?

No. You can reclaim the cost of the materials but not your time.

Are there any exceptions to claiming LESA?

Yes. Landlords cannot claim if they are also claiming under the Rent A Room scheme or if the property is let as holiday accommodation.

Importantly, LESA cannot be claimed as a pre-letting expense unless the transaction took place less than six months before the date of first letting the property – which is the date the first tenancy agreement starts.

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Average Tenancy Deposit Cost Revealed

The average tenancy deposit value across the UK has risen over the past year, according to The Dispute Service (TDS).

In a report, the organisation says that the average value of tenancy deposits and the number

Posted by Simon Thompson on 14/02/2019 12:28:59

Economic Uncertainty Boosts Rental Home Demand

Economic and political uncertainty is boosting demand for rental properties, one index reveals.

According to HomeLet, the private rental sector is offering greater security and certainty for those who a

Posted by Simon Thompson on 14/02/2019 12:23:15

Landlords Hit By A Decline In Tenant Numbers

For the first time in more than 10 years, the total amount of rent being handed to landlords has fallen, a survey reveals.

The findings from real estate firm Hamptons International reveals that fewer peop

Posted by Simon Thompson on 14/02/2019 12:05:11

Property Professionals Looking To Expand Portfolios

Most property professionals in the UK are looking to expand their portfolios this year, one survey reveals.

The survey was carried out by MT Finance which found that affordability issues and politi

Posted by Simon Thompson on 08/02/2019 09:59:06

Big Rise In Landlord Numbers Leaving The Sector

Along with rent rises for tenants, there's been a big jump in the number of landlords who are leaving the rental market, according to a report.

The findings from Arla Propertmark are based on December

Posted by Simon Thompson on 08/02/2019 09:53:32

The PRS Trends That Will Dominate The Sector Revealed

A new report reveals the trends that will dominate the UK's private rental sector over the next few years.

The report has been compiled by real estate firm Knight Frank and it makes for interest

Posted by Simon Thompson on 08/02/2019 09:45:33

What Student Tenants Are Looking For

Landlords looking to exploit the student tenant market need to understand what students are looking for in a property, one organisation says.

To help those buy to let landlords who have bought properties close

Posted by Simon Thompson on 01/02/2019 10:17:57

Landlords Claim Billions In Tax Relief

The UK's landlords claimed a record amount in tax relief last year despite new fiscal regulations, one lettings agency says.

According to ludlowthompson, landlords claimed £17.7 billion in relief, which is up

Posted by Simon Thompson on 01/02/2019 10:13:45

Most Prs Landlords 'Still Make A Profit'

Despite regulatory changes, most landlords in the private rental sector are making a profit, a new report claims.

The report has been published by BM Solutions who say that 88% of those landlords it surveye

Posted by Simon Thompson on 01/02/2019 10:05:40

Landlords Are Facing A 'Watershed' With Tax Bills

Landlords are facing a 'watershed' this month because of tax changes being reflected in their tax bills for the first time, one trade association warns.

The Intermediary Mortgage Lenders' Associatio

Posted by Simon Thompson on 24/01/2019 14:44:32

Landlords Opting For 5-Year Btl Fixes

Landlords are increasingly opting for five-year fixed rate buy to let products, one index has revealed.

The data from Mortgages for Business highlights that in the last quarter of 2018, 84% of landlords had opt

Posted by Simon Thompson on 24/01/2019 14:39:40

The Number One Location For Property Investment

A unique algorithm has ranked 172 BTL locations in the UK to find out where the best area is for buy to let property investment.

The analysis by One and Only Pro, a property investment portal, utilised

Posted by Simon Thompson on 24/01/2019 14:30:52

UK Property Investment Remains Positive

The sustained demand for property and growing rents means UK property investment 'remains positive' for investors, according to one index.

The findings from Homelet reveal that in the year to December 2018, ave

Posted by Simon Thompson on 16/01/2019 13:43:51

London's Landlords Worse Off Because Of Brexit

Since the vote to leave the European Union in June 2016, London's landlords have been left worse off, says one index.

The data from Landbay highlights that landlords may have seen rent growth being 2.

Posted by Simon Thompson on 16/01/2019 13:39:04

How Long To Sell A Btl Property?

For those buy to let landlords in the UK looking to offload their property, a new report highlights how long it will take to sell it.

The findings have been published by a specialist online agency that has looked at

Posted by Simon Thompson on 16/01/2019 13:32:19

Fewer Tenants See Rent Rises

Fewer tenants saw their rents rise in November, the lowest level since February, new data reveals.

The findings from Arla Propertymark highlights that November was the third consecutive month in which the number of rent

Posted by Simon Thompson on 09/01/2019 16:28:32

Property Investment In The North Picks Up Speed

Property investors in the north of England are enjoying some of the highest percentage returns in the UK for their investment, an analysis reveals.

The findings from Your Move highlights that the hig

Posted by Simon Thompson on 09/01/2019 16:21:50

Big Rise In Middle Age Tenant Numbers

There has been a big rise in the number of middle age tenants renting a home in the UK, a survey has revealed.

Intus Lettings has found that many middle-aged workers cannot afford to buy their first home or hav

Posted by Simon Thompson on 09/01/2019 16:17:04

New Guidance On Hmo Room Size Regulations Unveiled

The new guidance covering minimum room size regulations for HMOs has been welcomed by one landlords' association.

The guidance is aimed at councils and has been published by the Ministry of Housing

Posted by Simon Thompson on 07/01/2019 10:22:43

2019 Will Be 'Difficult' For Landlords

The UK's letting agents say that 2019 will be 'difficult' for landlords, according to a survey.

The findings from ARLA Propertymark highlight that the next 12 months could be a mixed year for property investor

Posted by Simon Thompson on 07/01/2019 10:03:40

What 2019 Has In Store For Landlords

After a year that saw a flurry of regulatory and tax changes, 2019 will offer landlords little respite from more upcoming changes, experts say.

Among the moves to affect the buy to let sector will be new client m

Posted by Simon Thompson on 07/01/2019 09:55:21

Most Students Get On With Their Landlord

Despite the commonly held view that landlords exploit student tenants, a survey highlights that students are happy with the services and living conditions being provided by landlords.

The research from a stud

Posted by Simon Thompson on 02/01/2019 14:55:17

Areas for the UK's fastest growing rents revealed

The areas for the UK's fastest-growing rents have been revealed in a survey with Edinburgh topping the list.

According to Landbay, the average annual rent in the Scottish city rose by 4.63% this year

Posted by Simon Thompson on 02/01/2019 14:49:07

Landlords Are Increasingly Selling Up

Landlords are increasingly selling up

Landlords in the UK are selling up their buy to let investments and leaving the sector but it's not as many as has been feared.

The findings from franchise letting agents Belvoir shows landlords are increasingly

Posted by Simon Thompson on 02/01/2019 14:41:01

The Uk's Student Accommodation Sector 'Is Still Booming'

The UK's student accommodation sector 'is still booming'

The student accommodation sector in the UK is still booming despite Brexit, says one leading real estate firm.

The student property team at Knight Frank says that in 2019, more than 29,000 pur

Posted by Simon Thompson on 02/01/2019 14:18:12

The Days Of Low Btl Rates 'Numbered'

The days of low BTL rates 'numbered'

Landlords will be seeing the end of rock-bottom buy to let mortgage interest rates with one expert saying their days may be ‘numbered’.

While BTL landlords have more choice today than they have had before when ar

Posted by Simon Thompson on 02/01/2019 14:15:01

Sharp Slowdown In Rental Market Activity

A sharp slowdown in rental market activity has been recorded in the run-up to Christmas, new data reveals.

The property activity index from Agency Express highlights that the proportion of properties 'to let'

Posted by Simon Thompson on 02/01/2019 14:09:26

Landlords will be deterred by three-year tenancies

The prospect of the Government introducing mandatory three-year tenancies will see 32% of landlords being put off from investing in new rental homes, a survey reveals.

The findings from Paragon reve

Posted by Simon Thompson on 11/10/2018 17:07:41

Student landlords are forced into making deductions

Growing numbers of student landlords are having to deduct money from their tenants' deposits when the students leave their rental property at the end of their academic year, research reveals.

Accor

Posted by Simon Thompson on 11/10/2018 16:56:05

Tax break for landlords selling-up to tenants

Landlords could be offered financial incentives by the government for selling their property to a long term tenant, media reports suggest.

It's been mooted that the upcoming Autumn Budget may offer a tax

Posted by Simon Thompson on 11/10/2018 16:49:03

Warning over HMO tenants facing eviction or rent rises

A landlords' association is warning that thousands of tenants who live in shared houses are facing rent rises or eviction because of rule changes.

The warning comes from the National Landlords'

Posted by Simon Thompson on 03/10/2018 10:06:00

No sign of mass BTL landlord exodus

Concerns that regulatory and tax changes could lead to an exodus of buy to let landlords from the sector may have been premature, say researchers.

The findings from Foundation Home Loans reveals that a year after

Posted by Simon Thompson on 03/10/2018 10:01:22

Tenant gripes over landlords revealed

Among the biggest gripes for tenants are landlords hitting them with 'out of the blue' rent rises along with being slow to repair faults, a survey has revealed.

Researchers from wallpaper firm Graham and Brown q

Posted by Simon Thompson on 03/10/2018 09:45:49

How much tenants will pay for furnished homes revealed

Landlords can charge tenants up to 21% more per month for renting a two bedroom furnished flat than they can for an unfurnished property, research has revealed.

The findings from OnTheMarket, a

Posted by Simon Thompson on 26/09/2018 11:04:40

Landlords call for Rent to Rent to be suspended

Landlords are calling for the Government's Right to Rent scheme to be suspended as the Home Office reconvenes its stakeholder panel.

It's doing so after appeals from the Residential Landlords' Associat

Posted by Simon Thompson on 26/09/2018 10:47:22

New Section 21 rules cause landlord confusion

New Section 21 rules are causing confusion among letting agents and landlords, says one law expert.

The new rules come into effect from October for tenancies created before October 2015.

Unde

Posted by Simon Thompson on 26/09/2018 10:36:03

The best university for buy to let locations revealed

With growing numbers of property investors looking to the student accommodation sector for its impressive returns, knowing where to invest can be an issue and a new survey may help.

Property webs

Posted by Simon Thompson on 19/09/2018 14:33:39

Rents continue to rise across the UK

The latest data on rents being paid across the UK has delivered good news for landlords as rents have risen in all regions.

The findings from HomeLet highlight that the average rent is now £947 in the UK which is

Posted by Simon Thompson on 19/09/2018 14:14:45

Tenants Increasingly Opt To Rent Long-Term

Tenants increasingly opt to rent long-term

Growing numbers of tenants are adopting a long-term view when renting their home with more renters wanting to renew their current contracts, research reveals.

The findings from Hamptons International highli

Posted by Simon Thompson on 19/09/2018 14:09:06

Buy to let landlords split over futures

Buy to let landlords in the UK are split over the future of the sector with 44% looking to sell up, a report reveals.

However, according to Octopus Choice they say that 56% of buy to let investors are looking

Posted by Simon Thompson on 12/09/2018 10:27:21

Landlords look forward to rent growth

Around a quarter of landlords in the UK say they are expecting rents to rise over the next six months, a report reveals.

The research was carried out by buy to let consults BDRC who also found that 41% of landlo

Posted by Simon Thompson on 12/09/2018 10:23:34

Property investment still attractive to Brits

A surprising number of Brits are looking to invest in property this year, a survey has revealed.

The findings from Sainsbury's Bank Mortgages also highlights that most landlords in the UK do not give up

Posted by Simon Thompson on 12/09/2018 10:14:16

Top agency says landlords are being forced to quit

One of the UK's leading letting agents says the government is forcing more landlords to quit the rental sector because of punitive tax policies and increasing legislation.

Belv

Posted by Simon Thompson on 30/08/2018 13:43:33