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Stamp duty when separated but not divorced

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My daughter and her husband lived in rented accommodation while together, they have been separated for 5 years and have no financial ties and have not bothered with a divorce. Since separating he bought a house and lives in it with a new partner. My daughter now wants to buy a house and I am worried it may be treated as second home for stamp duty purposes even though she has had no financial input to his house and does not have any claim to it.

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  • Emmia
    Emmia Posts: 5,684 Forumite
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    Why don't they just divorce properly?
  • Voyager2002
    Voyager2002 Posts: 16,297 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Cark2 said:
    My daughter and her husband lived in rented accommodation while together, they have been separated for 5 years and have no financial ties and have not bothered with a divorce. Since separating he bought a house and lives in it with a new partner. My daughter now wants to buy a house and I am worried it may be treated as second home for stamp duty purposes even though she has had no financial input to his house and does not have any claim to it.

    No need to worry: being married to someone who owns a property does not make you a property owner.
  • SDLT_Geek
    SDLT_Geek Posts: 2,897 Forumite
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    Cark2 said:
    My daughter and her husband lived in rented accommodation while together, they have been separated for 5 years and have no financial ties and have not bothered with a divorce. Since separating he bought a house and lives in it with a new partner. My daughter now wants to buy a house and I am worried it may be treated as second home for stamp duty purposes even though she has had no financial input to his house and does not have any claim to it.
    Is the house she would buy in England, so the relevant stamp duty is stamp duty land tax?  

    If so, the property her husband owns should not be relevant to your daughter’s purchase for SDLT purposes.  Even though they are married, they are separated in circumstances likely to be permanent.
  • Hoenir
    Hoenir Posts: 7,742 Forumite
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    Cark2 said:
    does not have any claim to it.
    In the absence of a formalised divorce and a financial consent order. There remains the possibility of financial claims at any time in the future. 
  • Keep_pedalling
    Keep_pedalling Posts: 20,907 Forumite
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    They really should not leave things as they are, SDLT may not be an issue but if she died intestate it would be. 
  • Emmia
    Emmia Posts: 5,684 Forumite
    Fifth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    They really should not leave things as they are, SDLT may not be an issue but if she died intestate it would be. 
    And her ex husband would get everything in that scenario.
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