Planning for Furnished Holiday Letting changes

Furnished Holiday Letting changes were announced in the 2024 Spring Budget. This post discusses planning for the Furnished Holiday Lettings changes before they take effect from 6 April 2025.

Overview

The government has evaluated distortions in local economies as a result of the favourable tax treatment of Furnished Holiday Lettings. As a result, the 2024 Spring Budget announced the abolition of the Furnished Holiday Lettings tax regime. 

By scrapping the regime the government hope to help local people find a home in their community. Furthermore, by eliminating the tax advantages for short-term holiday rentals, they will effectively have the same tax treatment as landlords of residential property.  

The existing tax advantages

Currently Furnished Holiday Lettings have the following tax advantages which are unavailable to landlords of residential buy-to-let properties:   

Planning for the changes 

The loss of this favoured tax and business asset status for Furnished Holiday Lettings may create potential Capital Gains Tax and Inheritance Tax liabilities for property owners. However careful planning fir the Furnished Holiday Lettings changes may offer some tax-saving opportunities.

Roll over relief

One example, is where you roll over a gain on a Furnished Holiday Letting property into a new Furnished Holiday Letting property and it loses its status. There is no Capital Gains Tax liability when the trade ceases. 

This continues if the property qualifies for at least a year after the rollover was made. Furthermore, if the ex-Furnished Holiday Letting becomes a main residence before disposal, any gain will potentially be covered by main residence relief.

Selling or gifting a property

If you own a Furnished Holiday Let you could sell or gift the property to crystallise gains before the changes next year. You can also dispose of a property within three years of losing it's Furnished Holiday Letting status. This may enable you to claim Business Asset Disposal Relief and pay Capital Gains Tax at 10%.

Transferring to a limited company

Another option is transferring a Furnished Holiday Letting business to a limited company. This can utilise the capital gains annual exempt amounts. What's more it can also crystallise a capital gain that may qualify for Business Asset Disposal Relief.

Incorporating a Furnished Holiday Letting business might produce goodwill based on the business's valuation. You can then crystallise this gain and withdraw some as capital. However the new company can't obtain Corporation Tax relief for the goodwill if connected to the person disposing of the business. 

Summary

These changes are unlikely to be reversed even if there is a change in government so it makes sense to start planning now.

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