Monday, 1 April 2013

Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings starts today – and it’s not an April fool!

The Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings  (ATED) comes into force today and is a tax levied on high value ( £2 +million) residential  property located in the UK that is owned by a company.  Various corporate vehicles are defined as “owners” and are within the scope of the tax, including investment companies and unit trusts. 
Certain types of properties are not within the scope of the tax, such as hotels, student halls of residence, boarding school accommodation blocks, care homes and similar and there is also relief available for historic houses that are open to the public and working farmhouses where a farming trade is carried out on a commercial basis.
Valuation of the property is as at 1 April 2012 on a fair market basis or when it was bought, if later.   This valuation will be used for 5 years and then the property will need to be re-valued as at 1 April 2017, which will be the basis used for the ATED tax charge as at 1 April 2018.  
The ATED is banded, based on valuation:

Value of Property 
Tax  
 £2 million to £5 million
£15,000
£5 million to £10 million
£35,000
£10 million to £20 million
£70,000
£20 million and over
£140,000