Second homes
When it comes to purchasing a second home, the higher additional rates remain with a 3% higher rate on top of the new revised standards. So, if you are purchasing a holiday home up to the threshold value of £500,000, you will pay 3% SDLT. Those buying a second home over the threshold with pay 8% on the portion from £500,001 to £925,000, 13% on the portion from £925,001 to £1.5 million, and 15% on the remaining portion over £1.5 million.
Visit gov.uk for more information
Leasehold sales and transfers
On new leasehold sales and transfers, the nil rate band which applies to the net present value of any rents payable for residential property is also increased to £500,000 until the end of March next year. A SDLT of 1% will be charged on any net present value of any rent over the threshold.
Residential properties
Companies purchasing residential property under the £500,000 threshold will also be exempt from the paying SDLT. In additional companies that buy residential property of any value that meet the relief criteria from the corporate 15% SDLT will also benefit from the change made.
From 1 April 2021, the SDLT holiday will come to an end and the SDLT regulations will revert to what they were before these temporary changes were announced.
As there are many different types of stamp duty tax, we have created a stamp duty calculator to help you work out how much you will have to pay for the property you buy. Simply fill out the purchase price and see what your tax will be.
Land Transaction Tax in Wales
Transactions with an effective date from 27 July 2020 to 30 June 2021
Land Transaction Tax (LTT) is payable when you buy or lease a building or land over a certain price in Wales. From 27 July, no tax is paid on the first £250,000 of a property, however, it increases to 5% up to £400,000, 7.5% up to £750,000, 10% up to £1,500,000 with any amount thereafter taxed at 12%. This will apply and will run until 30 June 2021.
Transactions with an effective date between 1 April 2018 and 26 July 2020, and on or after 1 July 2021
Higher residential tax rates
As of 22 December 2020, a 4% surcharge applies to transactions involving the purchase of an additional property up to £180,000. This includes second homes and buy-to-let investments. A surcharge of 7.5% applies to properties in the threshold of £180,001 to £250,000, a 9% surcharge on properties between £250,001 and £450,000, 11.5% on properties between £450,001 and £750,000, 14% on properties between £750,001 and £1.5m and a 16% surcharge thereafter.
LTT does not apply to rents payable under a lease for residential property.
If you already own at least one residential property, you may need to pay the higher residential rates when you purchase a residential property.
If you are replacing your main residence, the higher rates may not apply.
Land and Buildings Transaction Tax in Scotland
Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) operates slightly differently to SDLT in England and Northern Ireland or LTT in Wales, as it requires buyers to pay tax on amounts between bands, as opposed to the full purchase price of a property.
The following changes have been made as of 15 July and will run and apply until 31 March 2021.
The first £250,000 will be exempt from tax when purchasing your primary property. Between £250,001 and £325,000, you will pay 5% LBTT, and then 10% on the amount between £325,001 and £750,000, with any amount thereafter taxed at 12%.
For transactions where the purchase price is above £250,000, the rates that usually apply remain unchanged.
Since 30 June 2018, first-time buyers in Scotland have benefited from a relief on LBTT. This raises the zero-tax threshold for first-time buyers from £145,000 to £175,000.
To find out how much you will need to pay for your new home, fill out our Stamp Duty Calculator form, selecting where you will be buying the property from the dropdown of options.
