Tax: Taking it over the line

Firth sheds light on the inheritance tax treatment of furnished holiday lettings. Dr Christopher McNall discusses the case The key issue is whether property is ‘relevant business property’, so as to qualify for BPR, or simply part of the business of holding land, being ‘wholly or mainly… making or holding investments’. Business property relief (BPR) is …
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Executors of Cox v Commissioners for HMRC [2020] WTLR 1239

Wills & Trusts Law Reports | Winter 2020 #181

This case was an appeal against a notice of determination issued by HMRC under s221 Inheritance Tax Act 1984 (IHTA) which had ruled that the deceased’s furnished holiday lettings business did not qualify for business property relief (BPR). The only dispute was whether the business consisted ‘mainly’ of ‘holding investments’ within the meaning of s105(3) IHTA.

The business began in 1989 with one flat and expanded in 1991 and 1996 with the purchase of further flats in the same building. It continued until the deceased’s death on 27 December 2014.

The tribuna...