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Welcome to QA Accounting for Property!
Considering establishing a property business?
There’s a wide variety of business structures, each tailored to suit a specific business model and working style.
As a leading online accounting service in the UK, we’re here to delve into your needs in-depth, assisting you in determining the most suitable structure for your business. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!
Expert Property Accounting Simplified
At QAccounting, we specialise in the financial nuances of the property sector. Our bespoke services cater to your property investment and management needs, ensuring you have a dedicated partner in your financial journey. Experience property accounting tailored to your business ambitions.
Property Investment Vs. Property Trade
As specialist property accountants, QAccounting understand that there are different types of property businesses, which have their own specific tax treatments and, therefore, have to be accounted for in different ways.
And one of the first and most important considerations needs to be whether the property business is one of “Property Investment” or “Property Trade”?
This is not so much a choice that a business owner makes, but more a determination that can be made by considering BOTH the INTENTIONS of the business owner and also, subsequently, the ACTIONS that they take when running the business.
Intentions
In order to try to determine the intentions of the business owner, you have to effectively answer the question: Was one of the main purposes of buying a property to make a profit when it is eventually sold?
Where the answer to this question is “No”, then the business is generally considered to be a “Property Investment”. And vice versa, where the answer to this question is “Yes”, then the business is generally considered to be a “Property Trade”.
Obviously, property values can fluctuate over time, and for many years, the value of properties has appreciated quite considerably. Therefore, it is normally good practice for Property Investors to document their intentions at the outset, and again in the future if they subsequently change their minds, to avoid ambiguity and help protect themselves against potential HMRC challenges.
Actions
A business owner’s actions (the way they behave) when running the business are also important, as it is difficult to argue that your intentions were that of Property Investment if your subsequent behaviour does not support this assertion! There are, therefore, a number of different factors that can be considered to help assess this, including, for instance:
- Number of Transactions – How many properties are bought and sold?
- Frequency of Transactions – How frequently are properties bought and sold?
- Finance Arrangements – Where these exist (e.g. Mortgages / Bridging Loans), are they for a short or a long period of time?
- Length of Ownership – How long are properties typically held for prior to sale?
- Renting Properties Out – Are the properties let?
- Renovation / Conversion Work – Was any renovation and/or conversion work performed on the properties? And if so, how long were the properties held after this work was completed?
- Work Done Personally or Professionally – Does the owner perform property maintenance themselves, or is this contracted out?
Why is it Important?
Properly classifying a Property Business is essential for a number of reasons:
- Accounting Treatment – The accounting rules that are applied to property investment and property trade businesses are different. Property Investment businesses are accounted for under the HMRC ‘Rules for Rental Profits’, whereas Property Trade businesses are not.
- Capital Gain Tax Reliefs – Capital gains tax reliefs are only available to Personal Property Investment businesses, Furnished Holiday Lets, and Property Trade businesses.
- Inheritance Tax Reliefs – Inheritance tax reliefs are only available to certain types of Property Trade businesses.
- Private vs. Company Decision – Using a limited company is normally more beneficial from a tax perspective for Property Trade businesses. However, the decision as to whether to operate as a private investor or via a limited company for Property Investment businesses can be far more complex and needs to be carefully considered at the outset.
Types of Property Business
Once the nature of the business is established, it is also possible to subdivide property activities into the following different types of businesses:
Investment:
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- Property Investment businesses
Trade:
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- Property Development businesses
- Property Trade businesses
- Property Management businesses
Property Businesses
Property Investment:
Property investment businesses typically hold property for a long period of time for the purposes of generating rental income in a Landlord capacity. This includes, for instance, residential property letting, commercial property letting, and furnished holiday let businesses.
Property Development:
Property development businesses typically buy properties for the purpose of renovating them or converting them for a different use, before selling them for a profit after the completion of the work.
Property Trade:
Property trade businesses typically buy properties and then “flip” or sell them in a relatively short period of time for a profit. Unlike Property Development businesses, little work is normally performed on the properties prior to sale.
Property Management:
Property management businesses typically do not own properties but manage them on an agency basis on behalf of other property investors.
Obviously, it is also possible to have property businesses that perform a mix of some or all of the above activities! However, in these cases, it is important to subdivide these activities where possible and account for them separately.
That is why it is essential to use an accountant who properly understands property accounting and can apply the different required accounting and taxation techniques!
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Get in touch with our friendly team today if you want to benefit from our unrivalled experience and affordable services.
Private Business Vs. Limited Company
When making the choice between running your property business privately or via a limited company, it is essential that business owners, regardless of the type of their business, consider their situation on a holistic level and ultimately make any decisions on a commercial basis.
Nevertheless, as mentioned above, using a limited company is normally more beneficial from a tax perspective for Property Trade businesses.
For Property Investment businesses, the decision is far more complex. In order to assist our clients, QAccounting has designed a questionnaire that can be used by our accountants to explain the context of this decision and the different factors that need to be considered. This helps our clients make this decision themselves in a more informed and structured way!
Trusted
We are one of the industry’s leading property accounting providers. Thousands of property businesses trust QAccounting. Join them today.
Compliant
Our processes and practises are all fully compliant, we follow strict protocol and do our utmost to add benefit to our many clients.
Personalised
We provide personalised quotes for your property business. Don’t pay for services you don’t need, and make sure you get value for your money!
Recognised
We are an award-winning accountancy firm that has been supporting property businesses like yours for over two decades.
Frequently Asked Questions
An early decision made by anyone taking the leap into property investment is whether they should open a dedicated property company or personally own their additional properties. We at QAccounting speak with property investors every day and can talk you through the potential benefits and disadvantages of each.
An option for any budding landlord is set up a limited company to run the property investments through. Limited companies bring with them certain disadvantages ranging from the cost of set up, the filing requirements of company tax, and the publishing of Director/income information on Companies House. Having said this, setting up a limited company for your property income can be a more tax efficient way of operating, as you can withdraw income as dividends alongside a salary, in some cases making it a more cost-effective way of working.
You have the option to purchase an additional property as an individual and then benefit from the additional income personally, declaring the income as part of your annual self-assessment at the end of the year. The disadvantages of this is that often mortgage interest relief can be limited for private property investors. In addition in some cases it can be less tax efficient for your property income to be subject to personal tax the more properties you purchase, or the greater the income you receive becomes. Advantages of doing things this way is that you may have access to more Capital gain Tax and Inheritance Tax reliefs.
This is dependent on your requirements there are advantages and disadvantages of both. Call us now for a free consultation with one of our accountants on 01162437868 or complete our short get a quote form for a non-obligation quotation.
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