Today's i Paper article warned that new property income tax rises could be the "final nail in the coffin" for buy-to-let landlords. The article featured repeated warnings from property-sector commentators that landlords may leave the market and that rents could rise further.Property income tax rates are set to increase to 24%, 44% and 49%, with the Treasury expecting to raise more than £1 billion annually from the combined measures.
The question is not whether taxes are increasing. The question is whether readers are being shown all of the relevant evidence before being invited to believe that buy-to-let is approaching collapse.
According to UK Finance data:
• 58,051 new buy-to-let loans were advanced in a single quarter during 2026.
• Those loans were worth £10.7 billion.
• Buy-to-let lending was up 20.6% year-on-year.
• The value of lending was up 25% year-on-year.
• Average gross rental yields stood at 7.27%.
• Mortgage arrears had fallen.
• Mortgage possessions had also fallen.
None of this proves that landlords are unaffected by higher taxes.
None of it proves that rents will not rise.
None of it proves that some landlords will not decide to leave the sector.
DOES THAT SUGGEST THAT THIS TAX IS A 'FINAL' NAIL IN THE COFFIN - NO!.
*OR DOES IT PROVE THAT NEWS MANIPULATION BY A MOSTLY FOREIGN OWNED MEDIA IS A DAILY THREAT TO THE UK - WHILE PROVIDING A BENEFIT TO THE MULTI-BILLIONAIRES INTERESTS?*
1/. If buy-to-let is supposedly facing its "final nail in the coffin", why are lending volumes rising by more than 20%?
2/. Why are billions of pounds continuing to flow into the market? And why are average rental yields remaining above 7%?
These facts do not eliminate concerns about the impact of taxation
*But they do when those concerns are passed on to the 'consumer' in order to protect their own profits*
The article's strongest voices came from tax advisers, estate agents and landlord representatives, all warning of severe consequences - Certainly not from the tenants who are punished by landlords greed.
What readers were not shown was evidence suggesting that significant parts of the sector continue to attract investment, generate yields and support increased lending activity.
A healthy public debate should present both sides of the ledger. Not simply the evidence that supports a dramatic headline purely in the interests of the landlords - from the i newspaper - sister of the Daily Mail??.
Multi Billionaire Owned Media - defending price rises by business to the working class and the public with articles like this - instead of holding business to account by actually ASKING the questions - as raised by GB2GB?
“WHEN BILLIONAIRES OWN THE NEWS - THE NEWS ONLY 'SERVES' BILLIONAIRES*
GB2GB original analysis | Research & drafting assisted by AI