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The KISS principle (keep it simple, stupid) is generally helpful (albeit rather disparaging!) when it comes to inheritance tax (IHT) planning. This is because IHT planning is more complicated than it needs to be in many cases. 

Mark McLaughlin points out that significant inheritance tax savings are attainable simply by making lifetime gifts within certain limits.

Holdover relief ' (also known as gift relief’) is a tax relief that allows individuals to defer paying capital gains tax (CGT) when an asset is transferred to someone else, typically in the context of business asset transfers although in some cases it can also apply in relation to property transactions. 

Jennifer Adams considers the circumstances in which the charge to capital gains tax can be deferred using 'holdover' relief.

In Property Tax Insider for April 2025, I covered the basics of the VAT DIY housebuilder claim process.

Lee Sharpe continues his look at reclaiming VAT on DIY housebuilding projects and highlights a potentially useful recent tribunal case.

All is not equal when it comes to tax relief for interest and finance costs, with the relief route depending on whether the property is a residential or commercial property, and also on whether the landlord is running an unincorporated property business or a property company.

Sarah Bradford explains how tax relief is given in respect of interest and finance costs relating to mixed-use property lets and mixed portfolios.

Property partnerships seem popular these days – typically, as a stepping-stone to greater things. Regular readers will know that I have long criticised HMRC’s published position on whether a property partnership exists, as distinct from simply co-owned property. My argument is that HMRC has drawn up its guidance to set an unreasonably high threshold to ‘make the grade’ as a partnership.

Lee Sharpe looks at whether a joint property letting activity amounts to a partnership, and why it is relevant to landlords.  

Most people do not expect to have to pay capital gains tax (CGT) when they sell their home. Private residence relief (also known as main residence relief or principal private residence relief) normally applies in full when the property has been the taxpayer’s only or main residence throughout the whole period for which they have owned it.  

Sarah Bradford outlines the concept of a ‘main’ residence for capital gains tax purposes. 

The government (HMRC) has become increasingly worried about the volume of small and medium-sized enterprise research and development (R&D) tax credit payments where a company claims to have undertaken eligible R&D activity (and it is important to keep in mind that only certain types of R&D may qualify – there are a lot of criteria).

Lee Sharpe looks at tax aspects of modernising property and the risk of disallowance as improvements that constitute capital expenditure, losing income tax relief in the property business. 

Whether to buy commercial or residential property depends on various factors, not least the more beneficial tax system for commercial lets and whether an individual or a company is purchasing the property. The government wishes to encourage commercial lets and therefore permits a more generous tax regime than residential lettings. 

Jennifer Adams considers some important tax benefits of investing in commercial property.