Stamp Duty Refunds

You can reclaim overpaid SDLT after the purchase of your property, but there are time limits, and only specific circumstances where you may be eligible.

Who Is Eligible for a Stamp Duty Refund?

If you sell your original or main home

Stamp Duty rates carry an additional 3% charge on the purchase of a second home. However, if you subsequently sell your previous main residence within three years, you will be able to reclaim that 3% extra charge if your second home was intended to be the replacement for your old main residence.

Shared-ownership first-time buyers

If you were a first-time buyer, and bought a shared-ownership home worth no more than £500,000, you may be able to claim a refund on the SDLT that you paid if you did not claim the relief. This only applies to homes bought after 22 November 2017.

If you bought a property with an annexe
If you did not claim for multiple dwellings relief you may be eligible to claim a refund of some of the stamp duty you paid on the purchase if you claim within 12 months.

Find out more about SDLT reliefs with this guide on multiple dwelling reliefs.

You have bought an uninhabitable building

Buyers who purchase an uninhabitable dwelling with a view to renovating it as a buy-to-let or second home do not have to pay the 3% second home surcharge or the higher Table A residential rates. If you have been overcharged on such a property, you may make a claim for a refund.

You can learn more about uninhabitable properties below

How Do I Claim a Stamp Duty Refund?

You can apply for SDLT refunds directly via the government website for main residence replacements or, in other cases, by contacting HMRC. In most cases, you have 12 months after payment of the Stamp Duty or the disposal of the old main residence to claim a refund.

Stamp duty can be complex, for example, if you have purchased more than one property, bought as part of a linked transaction, or bought a dwelling within a multi-use property.

Buyers should be wary of companies offering to claim your refund on a no-win, no-fee basis.

If you are in any doubt as to whether you are eligible for a refund on your SDLT, you are advised to speak to a specialist tax lawyer.

How Long Does it Take For HMRC to Refund Stamp Duty?

HMRC aim to process claims within 15- 21 days and respond to your Stamp Duty refund application. – more details can he found here