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Government working on “ring fencing” rental property losses

Tuesday 19th of June 2007

Quizzed in Parliament by National finance spokesman Bill English, Finance Minister Michael Cullen said today that although there is no formal government policy yet on the issue, work is going on.

“I personally believe that it is worth investigating…there has been very, very substantial growth in losses, which have substantially outgrown the actual rental income. That clearly points to heavy gearing of the purchase of rental property, and probably has contributed to an overheated housing market.”

Investment in housing benefits from deductibility of interest and depreciation deductions, Cullen says.

“One can borrow 100% of the asset and offset the losses from that against other income. There is no other asset class where one can borrow 100% of the purchase price with no expectation of a return in terms of income, as opposed to capital gain, at the end of the day.”

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