Property firms reveal their Brexit choices

UK businesses are increasingly concerned about the impact that current political and economic uncertainty will have on the industry, according to a survey from Crowe.

30 per cent of the property businesses surveyed identified the Brexit negotiations as the biggest concern to their business, with 44 per cent stating they would prefer a soft Brexit, and 37 per cent stating that they would prefer no Brexit at all.

Despite this, 62 per cent of respondents remained confident in their growth plans for the next 12 months. 60 per cent of participants reported that they currently encounter little or no difficulty obtaining funding, with 36 per cent suggesting access to funding has improved compared to 24 per cent in the previous year.

For the fifth consecutive year, respondents highlighted the current UK tax system as unfavourable for developers and investors, with more than 82 per cent identifying Stamp Duty Land Tax as the biggest tax barrier to business growth.

In addition, 77 per cent of respondents highlighted that Green Belt protections are not conducive to solving the housing crisis.

The ‘Property and Construction Outlook Report 2018’ is intended to provide a snapshot of views across the sector as Brexit draws closer.