These are the big issues facing property investors, including BTL landlords

Brexit uncertainty, higher taxation and more stringent mortgage lending conditions are among the toughest challenges currently facing property investors, including buy-to-let landlords, according to new research.

A survey, undertaken by auction firm John Pye Property, sought the views of those at the heart of the UK’s property scene, including investors, landlords, owner occupiers and insolvency practitioners.

Some 38% of respondents highlighted uncertainty around Brexit as the biggest challenge affecting the property sector, with just over a quarter – 24% - pointing to higher taxation. Stricter lending criteria from banks were also a concern for 17% of those surveyed.

But despite these concerns, the majority of responses painted a positive picture of the current market.

More than half – 56% - of investors surveyed said that they felt that there are more appealing property investment opportunities available now compared to five years ago.

In terms of future plans, the research suggests that a significant number of investors plan to diversify their portfolios and focus more on securing long-term tenancies for their properties rather than pushing up yields.

More than four in five - 82% - investors said they were increasingly diversifying their portfolios in response to market conditions, while 72% said that securing a longer-term tenancy was more important than achieving the highest possible rental yield.

Richard Reed, head of property at John Pye Property, said: “Our survey is a useful way of engaging with existing and new clients and determining what they’re looking for.

“Some of the results weren’t surprising as Brexit uncertainty remains a challenge for many and investors are choosing to diversify their portfolio as a result of taxation changes. We were interested to gather insight on investor behaviour and increasing confidence in the regional markets.”

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