Completion Statement

DilbertJones

Just got my completion statement through

anyone got any ideas what a SDLT Agency is??? I am being charged £88.50 for whatever it is

GreenB_2

I think solicitors use SDLT meaning Stamp Duty Land Tax.

Joe_Bloggs

Stamp Duty Land Tax ?
J_B.
Too slow with my speculation.

DilbertJones

Yeah it is a Stamp Duty Land Tax Form Agency fee.

Even though I am not paying Stamp Duty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

bloomin cheek

Bossyboots

robodan wrote:

Yeah it is a Stamp Duty Land Tax Form Agency fee.

Even though I am not paying Stamp Duty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

bloomin cheek

I think the form has to be filled in to declare it is a transaction not liable to stamp duty.


Edit: Just had a look and it would seem an SDLT60 needs to be completed to show that no stamp duty is payable.

Bossyboots

Having thought about it some more, if you are not paying stamp duty then you are being charged a fee for completion of the form. I would argue that should have been included in the price you were quoted for the transaction as it is clearly a normal part of conveyancing and should come under costs, not disbursements.

DilbertJones

Bossyboots wrote:

Having thought about it some more, if you are not paying stamp duty then you are being charged a fee for completion of the form. I would argue that should have been included in the price you were quoted for the transaction as it is clearly a normal part of conveyancing and should come under costs, not disbursements.

Could you explain more about what I would/should go about saying?

I am quite good at fighting my corner but I dont have a clue about what I am saying on this matter!!

Bossyboots

robodan wrote:

Could you explain more about what I would/should go about saying?

I am quite good at fighting my corner but I dont have a clue about what I am saying on this matter!!

I typed a detailed reply to this almost immediately and then my internet connection went down and I lost it!

You need to check your client care letter to see if you have been given a quote or an estimate.

You need to check that the payment for the SDLT is solicitors costs, not a disbursement.

If you have a quote, then you should argue that completion of the SDLT is not an exceptional event and should be covered under the quote. They would have known when they gave the quote that this form needed completing and their quote should have reflected that.

If you were given an estimate, then you need to weigh up whether the basic costs plus this cost are good value and reasonable in the circumstances.

Adding on things like this after quoting, enables solicitors to give a lower quote initially to tempt you to go with them. The cover their backs by trying to claim in their client care letters "costs necessarily associated with conveyancing". This is a misnomer, as they are quoting for this very thing and it should include everything they need to do. Make sure you are not being charged things like photocopying, which are office overheads and again, should have been allowed for in the quote.