Stamp Duty Surcharge (Additional Property)
Quick answer
The additional 5% Stamp Duty Land Tax surcharge (England and Northern Ireland, raised from 3% on 31 October 2024) on the purchase of an additional residential property over £40,000, including most buy-to-let purchases and second homes. Applies on top of the standard SDLT residential bands. A separate 2% non-resident surcharge applies to non-UK-resident buyers. Refundable within 36 months if the previous main residence is sold; rules differ in Scotland (Land and Buildings Transaction Tax + 8% Additional Dwelling Supplement) and Wales (Land Transaction Tax + 4% Higher Residential Rate).
At a glance
- Rate
- 5% surcharge on top of standard SDLT (England & NI)
- From
- 31 October 2024 (raised from 3%)
- Applies to
- Buying an additional residential property, e.g. a buy-to-let
- Companies
- Also apply, plus a 17% flat rate above £500,000
Full guide
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Open full guideWhy Stamp Duty Surcharge (Additional Property) matters for landlords
The additional-property SDLT surcharge is one of the biggest up-front costs of buying a rental in England and Northern Ireland. From 31 October 2024 it rose from 3% to 5%, charged on top of the standard Stamp Duty rates when you buy a property in addition to your main home — so on a £250,000 buy-to-let it adds £12,500 before the base SDLT. It applies to individuals and to limited companies (which also face a 17% flat rate on properties over £500,000). Modelling the surcharge is essential when you run the numbers on a purchase, because it materially changes the yield.
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Official sources
LetCompliance editorial reviews this entry every quarter against the sources above. Always confirm specific duties with a qualified solicitor or your local council.
Related terms
BTL (Buy-to-Let)
A mortgage product and business model where a property is purchased specifically to rent out. Buy-to-let landlords are subject to Section 24 of the Finance Act 2015, which replaced mortgage interest relief with a 20% tax credit. Stamp duty is higher on a second property.
Check-in / Check-out Report
The dated, photographed inventory record taken at the start (check-in) and end (check-out) of a tenancy, signed by tenant and landlord/agent. It is the primary evidence base for any deposit deduction claim through the DPS, TDS or mydeposits adjudication process — without it, the scheme will almost always award the deposit back to the tenant. Best practice: third-party inventory clerk, time-stamped photographs of every room and meter reading, and tenant sign-off within 7 days.
Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT)
Tax on property purchases in England and Northern Ireland. Buy-to-let purchases above £40,000 incur a 5% surcharge on top of the standard rates (rising to higher in 2026). Check HMRC for current bands.
Capital Allowances
Tax relief for capital spending on qualifying "plant and machinery". For a standard residential letting they are generally NOT available — furniture and appliances are covered instead by Replacement of Domestic Items Relief. Capital allowances mainly apply to equipment in the communal areas of some HMOs and to commercial property; the furnished holiday let regime that allowed them was abolished from April 2025.
Capital Gains Tax (CGT)
Tax on the profit from selling a rental property. From April 2024 the CGT annual exempt amount was reduced to £3,000 and residential property gains are taxed at 18% (basic rate) or 24% (higher rate). A CGT return must be filed and tax paid within 60 days of completion.
Furnished Holiday Let (FHL)
A short-let property meeting the FHL availability and letting tests (210 days available, 105 days actually let, etc.). Treated as a trade for tax purposes until 5 April 2025, with full mortgage interest deduction, capital allowances on furniture and fittings, and Business Asset Disposal Relief on sale. From 6 April 2025 the FHL regime was abolished by the Finance Act 2024: existing FHLs fall under standard property income rules and Section 24 mortgage interest restriction applies in full.