Yet another stamp duty question!

CrispFan

Thanks for clarifying. I actually spoke to someone at hmrc to try and get some more information. The man I spoke to said that if we got married before completion, we wouldn't have to pay the higher rate, but my conveyancer suggested we needed this in writing, which hmrc hadn't done. I think if I rang again I'd probably get a conflicting answer as everything I've read and everything that has been said on here suggests the opposite to what the man on the phone said (even if he does work for hmrc!)

G_M

It's possible that the key date would be Exchange of Contracts, as that is when the ....errrrr..... 'contract' is formed.

I know that for Capital Gains Tax purposes, it is the Exchange date that matters (eg which tax year it falls in), so it is logical that HMRC would use that date for other purposes too.

Not that logic always applies!

The other possibility is that HMRC might have a mechanism for determining if the marriage was in itself a tax avoidance scheme and hence could be disregarded. You really need a tax expert's advice before you try anything like this.

ProDave

How about your girlfriend sells the house in her name, and buys the new house just in her name. She only owns 1 propery. You only own one property. No higher rate stamp duty. No difference in status to how you are now.