UK PROPERTY QUESTIONS

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) for buy-to-let purchases in England and Northern Ireland includes a 3 percent additional property surcharge on top of the standard residential SDLT bands. This applies to any property purchase where the buyer already owns another residential property, including buy-to-let investments, second homes, and holiday lets. Bands from April 2025 for additional properties: - £0 to £250,000: 3 percent - £250,001 to £925,000: 8 percent - £925,001 to £1,500,000: 13 percent - Above £1,500,000: 15 percent Worked example: a £300,000 BTL purchase. SDLT is 3 percent of £250,000 (£7,500) plus 8 percent of the remaining £50,000 (£4,000), total £11,500. First-time buyer relief does not apply to BTL purchases. Multiple dwellings relief (MDR) was abolished in 2024 so bulk purchases of multiple flats no longer get a per-unit rate. Scotland has Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) with a separate Additional Dwelling Supplement. Wales has Land Transaction Tax (LTT). Both apply similar surcharges for additional properties. Budget stamp duty as a non-recoverable acquisition cost. It does not reduce the mortgage-eligible property value and cannot be financed through the BTL mortgage.