Geesh, this stamp duty thing is all headlines and no trousers. How many people really fall into the strict guidelines? Let's see:-

1) Must be a first time buyer
2) If two purchasers, BOTH must be first time buyers
3) Must be buying between £125,000 and £250,000 (a fair chunk of 1st time buyers will be below £125,000 anyway).
4) Must be main residence

I wish this government would stop buggering about with figures and simplify things. I wonder how much it cost the economy to change the VAT rate, and then change if back? I bet it was a major headache for many small shops.

SDLT would be much simpler if it was just a flat 2% on everything above a de minimis level (e.g £10,000). This would stop properties around the threshold being restricted in value, struggling to sell etc. I'm all in favour of a simpler tax system rather than this guddle to try to grab headlines.

I got all excited for a minute, until the FTB bit was added. 🙁 Just about to exchange and since I had a mortgage 12 years ago (for less than a year) we can't get the relief.

Ho hum. You win some, you lose some.

Geesh, this stamp duty thing is all headlines and no trousers. How many people really fall into the strict guidelines?

I would have. Bought my first house with my wife a few years ago. Both first time buyers. Paid 245k so we would have saved two and a half grand in stamp duty.

I don't think those guidelines sound particularly difficult to be honest.

Geesh, this stamp duty thing is all headlines and no trousers. How many people really fall into the strict guidelines? Let's see:-

1) Must be a first time buyer
2) If two purchasers, BOTH must be first time buyers
3) Must be buying between £125,000 and £250,000 (a fair chunk of 1st time buyers will be below £125,000 anyway).
4) Must be main residence

1) Tick
2) Tick
3) Tick
4) Tick.

Thanks Darling.