Another estate agent calls for reduction to Stamp Duty

There has been yet another call for Stamp Duty Land Tax to either be amended or abolished, this time from estate agent Jackson-Stops & Staff.

The estate agent feels that ‘prohibitive levels’ of Stamp Duty Land Tax are preventing those in the domestic market from both buying and selling. This cannot be said for overseas buyers however, who are still being attracted by the weak pound.

Reduction

Jackson-Stops & Staff is calling for a reduction of one-third in Stamp Duty levels, in order to get the market moving again.

Toby Whittome, Sales Director at the estate agent in London, observed: “Potential buyers in central London used to approach us about their next home move, driven by factors like a growing family or need for a home with more bedrooms or a bigger garden. These are the “old reasons” for moving, from before December 2014. Our purchaser registration numbers are up, but the fluidity of the market has diminished hugely. When buyers are looking at 20% transaction costs including stamp duty, solicitor’s fees and moving costs, the attitude becomes: ‘we’re better off staying where we are’.”

“In my patch of Kensington and Chelsea sales have fallen to around 120 a month, compared with around three times that number in peak 2014. In 2016 Kensington and Chelsea contributed £514 million in residential stamp duty receipts, the highest of any local authority.”

Harmful

Nick Leeming, Chairman at Jackson-Stops & Staff, added: “If stamp duty levels weren’t causing so much harm to the million plus market I think we would see the health and fluidity at the lower to middle end of the Greater London market spread to the higher end too.”

“One recommendation is a UK wide reduction in stamp duty levels of around a third, which should boost the property market at all levels, particularly at the million pound plus level. It is worth remembering that in central London typical family homes will likely be worth £1 million or more and, with stamp duty levels preventing these homes entering the market, it means that families are unable to move up or down the property ladder when they need to.”

“Aggregate prices remain stable against a backdrop of economic uncertainty and low transaction levels, demonstrating that demand is sufficient to keep prices supported.”[1]

[1] http://www.propertyreporter.co.uk/finance/national-estate-agent-calls-for-a-one-third-cut-to-stamp-duty.html