Andy Burnham tax policies are driving fresh debate over Capital Gains Tax after he became Prime Minister and repeatedly argued that wealth and assets should play a bigger role in funding public services. He has not announced a Capital Gains Tax rise, and there have been no government announcements or Budget proposals for one.
That gap between rhetoric and policy is shaping landlord decisions now. Answers to the Property118 Landlord Sentiment Survey put Capital Gains Tax among the top priorities pushing landlords toward leaving the PRS, while many are focusing on how to squeeze the most money out of the equity in their portfolio.
Andy Burnham and Capital Gains Tax
Since becoming Labour leader and Prime Minister, Burnham has repeatedly talked about shifting taxation away from earnings and towards wealth and assets. He has also refused to rule out further tax reform, which is why economists, tax advisers and property commentators have started debating whether Capital Gains Tax could eventually be drawn into that discussion.
The argument is not about a formal change. It is about what landlords and investors think might come next if wealth and assets are placed more centrally in public funding discussions.
Property118 Landlord Sentiment Survey
The Property118 Landlord Sentiment Survey is the clearest sign of that reaction. Its answers show Capital Gains Tax is one of the top priorities driving landlords toward leaving the PRS, and that concern is already feeding into selling decisions rather than waiting for a policy announcement.
The Landlord Sales Agency says it has over 20 years of experience helping landlords sell properties with or without tenants, and a database of more than 30,000 active buyers. It says one landlord with a portfolio carrying a vacant possession value of £1.6 million sold for £1.4 million within 27 days.
For landlords, the practical decision is no longer only whether to hold property for longer. It is whether to sell now, before tax debate hardens into policy, or to keep waiting while the market absorbs the same uncertainty. Burnham has not announced a CGT rise, but the discussion is already moving portfolios.
