Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT)
For property buyers: purchase transaction advice, SDLT reliefs and exemptions, higher rates for additional dwellings, mixed-use properties and SDLT reclaims. Ideally, speak to us before you exchange contracts.
Get your SDLT position right before you buy
Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) applies to most property purchases in England and Northern Ireland. Scotland uses Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) and Wales uses Land Transaction Tax (LTT), which are separate taxes with their own rates and rules. The SDLT you pay can depend on what you are buying, who is buying it and what you already own.
Purchasing property through a limited company has different SDLT implications. The decision to purchase personally or through a company is highly fact-specific and depends on your tax position, intended use and long-term plans. Ideally, speak to us before you exchange contracts.
WHAT WE ADVISE ON
Our SDLT support covers:
- Purchase transaction advice
- Higher rates for additional dwellings (HRAD), if you already own a residential property and are buying another, such as a buy-to-let or second home
- The non-resident surcharge on residential property purchases
- Mixed-use properties that are part-commercial and part-residential, which may qualify for non-residential rates
- SDLT reliefs and exemptions, including reliefs for qualifying corporate and charity transactions
- SDLT for company purchases, and the Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings (ATED)
- SDLT reclaims
Who it's for
Our SDLT support is for people and companies buying property in England and Northern Ireland. It may be particularly relevant if you are:
- Buying an additional residential property, such as a buy-to-let or second home
- Buying as a non-UK resident
- Buying a mixed-use property
- Buying through a limited company
- Reviewing a past purchase for a possible reclaim
What you get
Depending on the scope we agree after your first call, you can expect:
- Identification of the key tax areas for your circumstances
- An initial assessment of risks and planning opportunities
- Priority recommendations and suggested next steps
- Where a detailed review is agreed, structured analysis, professional recommendations and an implementation plan
- Where required, ongoing planning and advisory support
SDLT Reclaims
SDLT reclaim opportunities are often overlooked. You may be able to reclaim previously paid SDLT if:
- You paid the higher rates for additional dwellings on a new main home and sold your previous main home within the time allowed
- You overpaid on a mixed-use property incorrectly treated as residential
- You paid at residential rates on a property that should have been treated as uninhabitable or non-residential
IB&Co can review past transactions for potential SDLT reclaims. Time limits apply.
Before You Exchange
Once SDLT is paid, getting money back means amending the return or making a claim to HMRC, and strict time limits apply. Planning in advance is always better. Whether you are reviewing your SDLT position before purchase or assessing a possible reclaim, the conversation is best had early.
How it works
Your first call is a Tax Planning Discovery & Scoping Call. The purpose of the initial conversation is to understand your circumstances and determine where IB&Co can provide meaningful advisory support. From there, the process follows five clear steps.
Discovery
We start by understanding your circumstances and objectives.
Scope
We identify the areas requiring further consideration.
Review
Where appropriate, we undertake a detailed advisory review.
Recommendations
We provide professional guidance based on the agreed scope of work.
Ongoing Support
Where required, we provide ongoing planning and advisory support.
Meet your adviser
Ishmael Bangura, Managing Partner
Ishmael Bangura FFA is a qualified tax adviser and Fellow Financial Accountant with a finance degree and about 15 years’ experience, including earlier corporate roles. He has helped more than 950 clients. IB&Co Accountants is regulated by the IFA and IPA.
Ishmael is also an entrepreneur who has built and exited businesses of his own, and that experience of running a business informs how he approaches tax planning with clients.
Other Tax Advisory Services
Tax questions rarely sit neatly in one area. Explore our other Tax Advisory services below.
Business Tax Advisory
For SMEs and growing businesses seeking a more proactive approach to tax planning. We help owners and directors consider the tax implications of business decisions before the year end, not after it.
Director Tax Planning
For company directors and shareholders reviewing remuneration and income extraction strategies. Salary, dividends, pension contributions and the timing of payments can affect both your personal and company tax position.
Corporation Tax Planning
For businesses seeking greater visibility and planning around Corporation Tax. We help you bring tax considerations into investment, expenditure and profit extraction decisions earlier in the year.
Personal Tax Planning
For individuals with multiple income streams or increasingly complex financial circumstances. A decision in one area of your finances can affect your tax position in another, so it helps to plan ahead.
Property & Capital Gains Tax
For property owners, landlords and investors. We help you understand rental income, joint ownership and Capital Gains Tax considerations before a sale, transfer or other major transaction.
Residency & International Tax
For internationally mobile individuals and those with overseas income or cross-border interests. We help you understand UK tax residency and overseas income questions before key decisions are made.
Inheritance Tax Planning
For individuals and families thinking about estate planning, gifting, trusts and reliefs. Inheritance tax planning is really about making sure your money goes to the people you care about.
R&D Tax Credits
For companies investing in innovation, in any sector. We help identify qualifying R&D activities, document the work and prepare claims, including the HMRC paperwork.
Tax Investigation Support
For individuals and SMEs facing an HMRC enquiry, compliance check or disclosure. We act as your authorised agent and deal with HMRC on your behalf, so you do not have to face HMRC alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ideally before you exchange contracts. Once SDLT has been paid, getting money back means amending the return or making a claim to HMRC, and strict time limits apply, so planning in advance is better.
It can. Buying through a limited company has different SDLT implications. The decision to buy personally or through a company is highly fact-specific and depends on your tax position, intended use and long-term plans.
Possibly. For example, if you paid the higher rates for additional dwellings and have since sold your previous main residence, or if a mixed-use property was incorrectly treated as residential. Time limits apply, so it is worth asking early.
SDLT applies to property purchases in England and Northern Ireland. Scotland has Land and Buildings Transaction Tax and Wales has Land Transaction Tax, which are separate taxes with their own rates and rules.
Not always, but it can help. Filing a return reports what has already happened. Tax advisory looks at important decisions before you make them, so you can understand the possible tax implications while there may still be room to plan.
Our Tax Advisory service is designed to complement your existing accounting and compliance work.
We quote after the discovery and scoping call, once we understand what you need.
Request a callback
Prefer us to call you? Leave your details, the service you are interested in and a convenient time, and a member of the IB&Co team will call you back to talk through your circumstances.
Book Your Confidential Tax Planning Review
Let’s start with your circumstances. Book a confidential initial conversation with IB&Co to discuss your circumstances and identify the areas where Tax Advisory support may be appropriate. Where detailed tax advice is required, we will explain the recommended next steps and engagement process.
Bring your latest accounts or tax return and a note of what you want to achieve.