It doesn’t matter whether you have a partnership, an LLP or just have properties in your own name, provided you play an active role in managing your properties you could qualify for Section 162 Incorporation Tax Relief which will allow you to roll/hold over the capital gain into shares in your new company.
If you, either as an individual or in partnership, incorporate a business by transferring the business, together with all the assets of the business, in exchange wholly or partly for shares, you can defer some or all of the gain arising from the disposal of the ‘old assets’ (the business and the assets of the business) until such time as you dispose of the ‘new assets’ (the shares).
This relief is given automatically by Section 162 Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 provided the various requirements are met.
The key problem area is that Property Investment is generally not considered to be a Trade but because of the uncertainty created by recent legal cases you are able to ask HMRC for a Non-Statutory Clearance. This is effectively written approval from HMRC.
An example of playing an active role (and therefore having a Trade/Business) came up in EM Ramsay v HMRC [2013] UKUT 0226 (TCC)
Mrs Ramsey carried out the following activities
- Mr & Mrs Ramsey personally met potential tenants
- Mrs Ramsey check the quarterly electric bills
- Mrs Ramsey arranged insurance
- Mrs Ramsey arranged and attended to maintenance issues (drains)
- Mrs Ramsey and her son maintained the garages and cleared rubbish
- Mrs Ramsey dealt with post
- Mrs Ramsey dealt with fire regulation issues
- Mrs Ramsey arranged for a fence to be erected
- Mrs Ramsey created a flower bed
- Shrubs were pruned and leaves swept
- The parking area was cleared of weeds
- The flag stones were bleached
- Communal areas were vacuumed
- Security checks were carried out
- She took rubbish to tip
- She cleaned vacant flats
- she helped elderly tenants with utilities
This work equated to at least 20 hours per week and Mrs Ramsey had no other employment.
It is because she did the work herself that her property investment was considered a ‘Business’ and eligible for Incorporation Tax Relief.
How do you request a Non-Statutory Clearance from HMRC?
You can ask HMRC for further guidance or advice if you:
- have fully considered the relevant guidance and/or contacted the relevant helpline
- have not been able to find the information you need
- remain uncertain about HMRC’s interpretation of tax legislation
HMRC will then set out their advice in writing.
Annex A of HMRC explains the information required
