Same Old Song We all probably have a favourite song, maybe the first record [showing age here] ever bought or one associated with an event earlier in life. There is one song in particular which is a permanent fixture in the landlord tax charts and some of the lyrics are very familiar: “Why S.24 is still hurting landlords in ’26” “Why I should hold my property in a limited company” “The great landlord conundrum - wanting companies, stuck in personal ownership” And a chorus of “how much of your rental income are you keeping after tax?” Though Renters Rights has been soaring up the charts of late, like Sam and Olivia, S.24 races back to the top! Our single biggest concern in all of this is the general perception that the choice of structuring any property venture is binary. Second - those highly relevant issues which rarely make it in the promotional posts in favour of companies: Latent Gains Obligatory Refinancing The impact on limited liability of Directors’ personal guarantees The 2023 Associated Company Rule The additional reporting requirements for 90% of all companies [close companies] The Truth Hursts This note is not a criticism of professional firms which undertake the highest standards of professionalism, due diligence and client care. It is a warning that, all too often, posts are either out of date and/or lacking in essential detail. Of course most understand they are marketing efforts designed to encourage ‘clicking the link’  My 3 year old grandson knows the answer to that most searching of questions: “Is 19% corporation tax lower than 45% income tax?” Here are a few other questions: Is there more to it? Are there more than just 2 options? Has the process of incorporation changed dramatically? Is there really a pension option accepting residential property despite IFA denial? Is a Family Investment Company or Holding Company structure costly and inflexible? Is it possible to deal with S24 without having to change ownership? The answer to all 6 is a resounding YES.

Posted by Chris Haley at 2026-07-06 09:31:58 UTC