Since the introduction of Stamp Duty Land Tax in December 2003, there have been significant changes year on year to deal with real and perceived problems with the original drafting.

What we now have is a stringent piece of legislation that impacts on the majority of land-related transactions, which holds many pitfalls for the unwary.

SDLT has become a significant factor when considering the structuring of any particular deal.

There are a limited number of planning opportunities that are available, but there are also many problems that can be avoided by being aware of the rules from the start.

The types of areas where problems with SDLT may arise are:

A)                 Linked or associated sales

B)                 Changes in partnership profit sharing ratios

C)                 Creation of leases and licenses to occupy

D)                 Gift of property subject to mortgage

E)                 Incorporation of a business

If you are considering entering into any land or property related transactions, please give us a call to discuss what opportunities may be available to you.