Increased taxes for overseas buyers and those investing in properties in tourist hotspots has come out high on the housing policy wish list among UK homeowners, according to research from Market Financial Solutions (MFS).
The specialist lender commissioned a survey of 1,323 adults who own a residential property in the UK.
It found that 71% were in favour of raising the minimum quality standards for rental properties, making it the best supported potential policy reform.
Introducing controls or higher taxes on holiday lets or second homes in tourist hotspots came in second (67%).
In third place was scrapping inheritance tax for properties passed on after someone’s death (63%).
After housebuilding targets were softened to ‘advisory’ in December 2022, 48% of homeowners said mandatory targets should be reintroduced, while 58% supported reforming the planning system to make development more straightforward.
On the topic of stamp duty land tax (SDLT), 65% agreed that non-UK residents should pay more, but 60% said SDLT should be removed on properties that were derelict for more than a year.
At the bottom of the list, just 34% supported scrapping SDLT in favour of an annual land tax, while only 23% would back plans to make SDLT payable by the seller, not the buyer.
Paresh Raja (pictured), CEO of MFS, said: “In recent weeks, we have seen political parties begin to posture on housing policy.
“Battle lines are now being drawn ahead of next year’s general election, and already there is a sense both parties will put forward some more radical policies to solving the housing crisis.
“Our research provides timely insight into how they can win the hearts and minds of homeowners.”
Raja added: “Clearly, housebuilding and taxation are key areas that homeowners would like the government to focus on for reform, so these will likely be critical topics of discussion on which Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer will try to win votes in the coming weeks and months.
“No doubt homeowners, homebuyers and lenders will watch on keenly as policies concerning the property market evolve and the build-up to the election intensifies.”
