Siddharth Mahajan, London says, “Buying a property is always going to be stressful but now after the pandemic, the British real estate market is going to witness mammoth change in terms of policies as well as pricing. In the past few weeks the government has set out a complex set of new guidelines to help the British public, and economy, adapt amid coronavirus. Now experts claim the new rules will help boost the housing market.” Additionally, restrictions have been loosened on who can legally identify buyers and allowed deeds to be signed without in person witnesses. In totality, the British real estate market is set for evolution following the COVID 19 pandemic.

Before COVID-19 the housing market was enjoying its strongest start to the year since 2016. By taking these steps, the Government will give confidence to buyers, sellers and renters that Britain is reopening for business and they can do their bit to get the economy moving again

52% families in the UK own their own home according to latest statistics, with 28% owning properties outright and 20% with a mortgage. Decisions pertaining to housing require analysis of several factors. Read more to understand these better if you are a fence-sitter awaiting an opportunity to take the plunge.

Renting a property vs. buying a property in the UK

If you’re planning to stay in the UK long-term or you’re certain on a particular area, buying a UK house or apartment can be a feasible solution, particularly considering the record-low interest rates on mortgages in recent years.

However, according to Siddharth Mahajan, London, renting in the UK may be a better choice for foreigners intending to stay only a few years, as it may be more difficult to recuperate stamp duty and other costs in the short-term, as well as potential capital gains tax if you sell. Renting also allows newcomers to get a feel for different neighborhoods and be in a position to put a quick offer on a house. 

Can expats buy property in the UK? 

There are no legal restrictions on expats buying property in the UK. Foreigners and non-residents can also get a mortgage in the UK, although those with less than two years of residency in the UK and without a UK job may face more stringent requirements and may have to pay a bigger deposit. See this guide to mortgages in the UK for more information. You will need to appoint a UK solicitor to handle the legal paperwork when buying a home in the UK.

Generally speaking, the same taxes apply on property and property-related income for non-residents as for UK residents. Stamp duty is paid at the same rate and Capital Gains Tax will be paid at the same rate if the property is sold at a profit. If you’re a non-resident landlord of a UK property, you’ll need to pay tax on rental income in the same was as resident landlords, although you may be able to get an exemption if you pay tax on this income in your home country and your country has a double taxation agreement with the UK. 

Costs of buying a home in the UK

The costs associated with buying a home in the UK can be roughly split into two sections – upfront costs and ongoing costs.

Upfront costs of buying a home in the UK include:

• Stamp duty 
• Deposit 
• Mortgage costs 
• Legal fees 
• Land registry fees 
• Removal costs 

Ongoing costs of buying a home in the UK include:

• Mortgage repayments 
• Maintenance and repairs 
• Insurance 
• Regular bills
• Leaseholder costs 

Assistance schemes in the UK

The UK government has introduced the Help to Buy website to help potential homeowners take the rights steps when buying a home in the UK. Social housing tenants have the right to buy their homes if they’ve been a tenant for at least 3 years. The government also offers a range of easy-to-use calculators through its Money Advice Service, which can help you determine what you can afford and the likely monthly cost of a mortgage. More information on help when buying a home in the UK is available in our UK mortgage guide.

Exchanging the contracts

Siddharth Mahajan, London says, “If there are no problems or delays, you’ll receive the contract from the seller’s solicitor to sign and complete the sale. Check the contract details with your solicitor and ask for amendments if necessary. Once you’re happy with the contract, you can sign it. This means you are committed to the sale. The contract should include all key details such as price and completion date as well as any conditions for the sale.”

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Siddharth Mahajan Tulip | Sidd Mahajan London | Siddharth Mahajan Tulip | Siddharth Mahajan London | Siddharth Mahajan from London | Sidd Mahajan
Siddharth Mahajan from London | Siddharth Mahajan Tulip | Tulip Real Estate | Tulip Homes | Sidd Mahajan real story

Early steps into hospitality

For Siddharth Mahajan, education was his launchpad into the big, glitzy world of hotels and hospitality. A self-made man, Siddharth Mahajan reached Kerala to pursue his dream of being a hotelier after his schooling and enrolled himself in the Oriental School of Hotel Management. He earned his three-year Bachelor’s course in Hotel Management in 2002. This course included an International Hotel Hospitality Diploma with the prestigious American Hotel Lodging Association. Immediately after college, he got his first job at the enviable and prestigious Oberoi group of hotels in its Rajvilas property in Jaipur, which is a five-star hotel in India. His first job was that of a Front Office Assistant and Supervisor. He stayed at Rajvilas till 2005.

Wings to fly

After his stint in the Oberoi hotel, he flew abroad to explore more opportunities. His stints abroad included employment in Amba Hotel, Marble Arch, where he worked as a Guest Relations Manager. His services in Amba earned him great appreciation from the guests. His next stop was the Canary Wharf, where his role was of the Operations Manager. However, the entrepreneurial bug bit him before anyone knew and he decided to start up and become a business owner, accomplishing his own dreams for his future.

Novel business idea

All these years spent in hotels of repute helped Siddharth Mahajan identify the demand and supply gaps in the hotel and hospitality industry. He spent a good share of his career so far making mental notes of all these observations. These came in handy when he decided to startup.

All his career, he had seen business executives and students who traveled regularly seek accommodation options which gave them not only the comfort of a room but also the feeling of home. It was important to the weary travelers that they feel at home wherever they are. Keeping these things in mind, Siddharth Mahajan decided to start a new concept in the

hospitality sector — Houses in Multiple Occupation or HMOs. The idea was amazing. A house with all necessary furnishing and comfort let out to different people at the same time. He started by converting his own properties into HMOs.

Business growth

As his business grew, he slowly leased out assets from independent landlords to operate his HMOs. Over time he had seven properties in his name, operating as HMOs and 47 in the name of his business — Tulip Hotels and Real Estate Limited. He also operated 60 properties owned by other landlords which he had leased out to run HMOs. His business slowly expanded to other parts of London and even to other parts of the world, earning him international repute.

A fighter is born

In 2015, he received notices pertaining to three of his HMOs in London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. The allegation was that the HMOs did not have the license necessary to operate and hence must be shut down. The notice also alleged that Sidd Mahajan London had gotten the licenses by submitting fake and forged documents. Angered at these baseless accusations, Siddharth Mahajan decided to fight the cases out in court.

The trial lasted for around three weeks and all along, the authorities claimed these three properties were converted into six-room HMOs without appropriate licenses. They also accused Sidd Mahajan London of not submitting a plan of the HMOs to the council.

His contention was this — If this was indeed illegal, then why did the London local authorities give him a green signal to run the business? Weren’t they supposed to guide him through the licensing process, detailing what all documents were required to get the license? He also stated that it was a commonly known and acknowledged fact that small HMOs did not require any plan and all three of his properties in question were, in fact, small HMOs.

Finally, of the 18 charges against him, 16 were dismissed due to a lack of evidence. Only two of the charges were confirmed and he was convicted of perverting the course of Justice. He hopes to win these two cases too in the near future.

A focus that is razor-sharp

This is a distinct quality of Siddharth Mahajan.

While the cases were going on one side, Sidd Mahajan London was restricted from conducting his business in full swing. An unflinching Siddharth, however, kept himself busy studying a journalism course and teaching maths for students. These exercises helped him keep himself engaged without overthinking and to keep his thoughts and mind focused.

It is this focus that led to Siddharth Mahajan fighting the case and getting clean chit for one of his properties. Now only two HMOs are stuck in the legal tussle. He is confident that these cases will not stand the scrutiny of law either.

Assertive face

Though confident and resilient, Siddharth Mahajan made sure to record his displeasure in certain aspects of the allegations foisted on him. His issue was about the tenants who passed on the tenancy rights to him for the properties in question were given a clean chit by the jury. These tenants had used the six-room HMOs prior to Siddharth Mahajan and yet he had to face the allegations of having forged documents. He argued that he was being made a scapegoat for someone else’s apathy and disregard towards the law.

An entrepreneur with a vision

While there are many examples in business to show that education does not amount to anything or guarantee success, Siddharth Mahajan does agree that education gives you the leverage and the courage to go out there and explore multiple possibilities. If not for the skills Siddharth Mahajan learned during his college, he might not have identified the gaps in the industry and set out to conceive an idea to solve the gap. However, he also realizes and recognizes the importance of courage and conviction to his own self in running a business successfully and creating a formidable brand, as written in detail in Sidd Mahajan London.

Though Siddharth’s goodwill from his college and his earlier workplaces provided the much-needed impetus in his new business, it grew exponentially within the first few years of his inception due to his share of work he put into it. This gave him huge fortunes and also catapulted him into one of the great heights in the hospitality segment, all while grooming Tulip Hotel and Real Estate Ltd to be an endearing brand.

Siddharth Mahajan Tulip – The Creator of Tulip Hotels and Real Estate Group

Siddharth Mahajan can be described as a young, burgeoning mind that keenly pursued a career in the hospitality industry and became no less than a globe trotter to fulfil the demands of his passion.

Born and brought up in India, Mahajan completed a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management from the Oriental School of Hotel Management, Kerala. He also received an International Diploma in Hospitality from American Hotel & Lodging Association in Honors.  He was renowned as the first student from college to get Campus Placement at Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur. He joined the Rajvilas in 2002 (6 months prior to the completion of his degree) and returned to college for his final semester in April 2003. His stint at the luxury hotel lasted a good 2 years and earned him great accolades for his earnest hospitality services. This marked the extraordinary beginning of Siddharth Mahajan Tulip career.

Always an acute, enthusiastic individual, Siddharth blossomed throughout his learning career and his decision to pick the hotel industry seemed custom-made, owing to his exceptional front house and concierge services. After having worked with some big names like Vikram Oberoi, General Manager, and Puneet Narula, Front of House Manager at Oberoi Rajvilas, Mahajan ventured off to London to build a stronger foundation in the business, as the Hotel Industry in India was still in its nascent stage.

In London, he worked at Amba Hotel, Marble Arch, from Feb 2005 to July 2008 as the Guest Relation Manager / Reception Manager where he effortlessly managed 692 rooms. Following this, he worked at International Hotel from July 2008 to Sept 2013, at Canary Wharf as the Hotel Operations Manager. During this phase, Siddharth Mahajan had the opportunity of working with the crème de la crème of the industry, namely Peter Beckwith and Christian Graf, General Managers of the hotels respectively.

Sidd Mahajan Tulip earned his claim to fame with four promotions and many positive guest testimonials, after which he was approached by numerous Indian professionals visiting London, on the lookout for apartments instead of hotels for a more homely atmosphere. This led Siddharth Mahajan Tulip to toy with the idea of creating service apartments, which then led to the inception of what we know today as Tulip Hotels.

As Sidd Mahajan did not have professional knowledge about the course of activities required to own and offer the property on lease, he chose to study the background where he lived, worked and spent a majority of his time with friends and family as part of the UK community. It gave him first-hand insights about what attracted people when they saw a particular place, which made that particular property successful commercially.

Sidd Mahajan wasted no time in getting his plan into action and decided to convert the houses he owned into 6 Ensuite rooms, which he rented out as service rooms to transfer students, working professionals on business trips and the like. He created an experience that built a connection which drew people back to a place that felt like home without the hassles that go with it.

Sidd Mahajan took a major entrepreneurial leap thereafter by leasing a hotel for 25 years and converting it into a boutique hotel. He made sure that Customer Service and proximity to the station would be prominent features in the hotel designed to serve emigrants travelling for work. As a promising Indian entrepreneur, Sidd quickly established a prominent housing business in London and became the proud owner of Tulip Hotels, which went on to develop as a private, diversified property group in several segments in the UK. He is renowned for excellence in quality of design and service delivery in the ultimate creation of high-quality properties to satisfy every client’s whim and fancy.

About Siddharth Mahajan

Born and brought up in India, Siddharth Mahajan is a young passionate individual who zealously pursued a career in the hospitality industry and traveled across oceans to find the right direction for his passion. 

Mahajan completed a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management from Oriental School of Hotel Management, Kerala, and 3 years of International Diploma in Hospitality from the American Hotel & Lodging Association in Honors.  He was the first student from college to get Campus Placement at Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur. He joined the Rajvilas in 2002 (6 months before he had finished his degree) and returned to college in April 2003 for his final semester. His stint at the luxury hotel lasted 2 years and earned him a great appreciation for his sincere hospitality services. This marked an extraordinary beginning of Siddharth Mahajan’s career.

Subsequent to this, Mahajan moved to London and began working for various hotels while carving out a career path in his mind. He decided to launch a company- Tulip Hotels and Real Estate Ltd. – that would lease apartments to travelers and offer them the perfect homestay options that would be more reasonable and comfortable as compared to hotels.

Tulip Hotels and Real Estate Ltd.

In a short span of 9 years, Mahajan’s establishment flourished and made him a successful young Indian entrepreneur in the UK. With close to 15 years of experience in developing homes with premier facilities, Mahajan’s real estate activities now involve an aggregate value of 40 million pounds Assets in London. He envisages to further develop Tulip Hotels as a private, diversified property group, active in the UK in several segments, aligning the market scenarios and people’s preferences with its objectives. Mahajan was determined to expand Tulip Hotels by geography, sector, property activity, operational capability, and management team.

Today, Tulip Homes not only offers service apartments but has also forayed into the hotel industry in addition to construction and refurbishment of houses. These developments are part of Siddharth’s vision to offer a wide gamut of quality housing services to the UK community.

A lesson and inspiration to most professionals starting their career, Siddharth Mahajan London is an individual one can learn a lot from.

1. Carve your own path: Society will place norms, it will impose you with rules but to rise, you need to break free. Mahajan has always followed his heart and his passion. He believes someone else’s vision of success will force you to stray from the path you worked to be on. So carve your own path and you’ll always be heading in the right direction.
2. Have a vision: Have a clear vision of what you wish to achieve in life and remind yourself of it every day. A clear target will help you pave the way you keep you focused regardless of the hindrances. 
3. Understand your customer: Knowing and understanding your customer is pivotal. Know those you serve, better than anyone else and you’ll be able to deliver the solutions they need.
4. Always be on the lookout for opportunities: Siddharth Mahajan London has always remained opportunistic throughout his career. It means to be mindful of the rising trends in the market and analyzing how these trends can be turned into fruitful business avenues. 
5. Don’t give up, don’t give in: The obstacles will be many, the challengers and challenges will be endless, but learning to face them with a positive outlook is the key to overcoming every roadblock successfully.
6. Find solutions to the right problems: It’s crucial to identify the right problems and focus on solutions for them instead of the make-believe issues people create to pull you back from reaching your goals.
7. Encourage and Inspire: Be encouraging of learning, planning, taking risks, being creative, resilient, and tenacious. If you want to grow, ensure your team grows with you. Siddharth Mahajan London believes a company’s growth depends on the collective effort and growth of its employees. No one succeeds in business alone, and those who try will lose to a great team every time. Build your own great team to bolster your success.