If you’re buying a second home in the UK, you’ll have to pay an additional 5% Stamp Duty Tax in England and Northern Ireland, 5% Land Transaction Tax in Wales and 8% Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBBT) in Scotland. This includes buying holiday homes and buy-to-let properties.
We work with property experts to bring you everything you need to know about buying, selling and moving. In this article, we look at the different rates of Stamp Duty across the UK and feature breakdowns of rates and cost to help when you’re buying a second home.
England and Northern Ireland
In England and Northern Ireland, expect to pay an additional 5% Stamp Duty when buying a second home.
Below are the rates of Stamp Duty you’ll have to pay on a second home based on property price.
| Property Price | Second Home Stamp Duty Tax Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £125,000 | 5% |
| £125,000 - £250,000 | 7% |
| £250,001 - £925,000 | 10% |
| £925,001 - £1.5m | 15% |
| Over £1.5m | 17% |
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Wales
In Wales, expect to pay an extra 5% Land Transaction Tax on second homes.
| Property Price | Land Transaction Tax Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £180,000 | 5% |
| £180,001 - £250,000 | 8.5% |
| £250,001 - £400,000 | 10% |
| £400,001 - £750,000 | 12.5% |
| £750,001 - £1,500,000 | 15% |
| £1.5m plus | 17% |
Scotland
In Scotland, expect to pay an additional 6% Land and Buildings Transaction Tax on second home purchases, also known as Additional Dwelling.
| Property Price | Land and Buildings Transaction Tax Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £145,000 | 8% |
| £145,001 - £250,000 | 10% |
| £250,001 - £325,000 | 13% |
| £325,001 - £750,000 | 18% |
| £750,001 | 20% |
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What Properties are Excluded?
The following properties are exempt from paying additional home Stamp Duty:
Caravan
Mobile home
Houseboat
A second property you intend to live in after selling your old property within 3 years
A property under £40,000
Do First-time Buyers Have to Pay Stamp Duty?
If you don’t own any property but want to purchase a buy-to-let property, then you won’t have to pay second home Stamp Duty as you will still only own one property. It’s worth noting, if you’re buying a buy-to-let property, you will be subject to other taxes such as Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax.
How Do I Avoid Stamp Duty on Second Home?
Most of the time, you will be legally required to pay additional Stamp Duty when buying a second home, however, there are a few ways to avoid paying the tax.
Consider the Type of Property
If you want to buy a second home as a holiday home, then buying a caravan or motorhome will help you to avoid paying additional Stamp Duty as those property types are exempt.
Gifted Deposit If Buying For Family
If you plan to buy a second property for your children or family to live in, you can avoid paying additional Stamp Duty by putting the mortgage in their name and gift them the deposit.
Buy a Home Under £40,000
If you buy a property costing less than £40,000, you can avoid paying Stamp Duty, Land Transaction Tax and Land and Building Transaction Tax.
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How Do I Get a Stamp Duty Refund?
You can apply for a refund if you manage to sell your original property within 36 months (3 years) of completing on your second property. You can claim back the Stamp Duty you paid on your first property.
This is quite common as many people complete on their second property expecting to have sold their original property by now, meaning they don’t intend on owning two properties.
To apply for a refund, you’ll have to submit details to HMRC including information about both of the properties, how much Stamp Duty you paid and how much you want to claim.
What if I’ve Inherited a Property?
Unfortunately, if you’ve inherited a property solely, then you’ll have to pay additional Stamp Duty on it. If you’ve inherited less than a 50% share, which is more common, then you won’t have to pay Stamp Duty.
Read more on inheriting a house from your parents
Do I Have to Pay If My Property is Abroad?
Yes, if you own a property abroad and then want to buy property in the UK, then you are subject to Stamp Duty for your second property, regardless of the tax rules in the other country you own property.
