Higher rate stamp duty land tax to remain in Wales.

Following the technical consultation the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government has confirmed the higher rate stamp duty land tax for additional residential properties will continue to be levied in Wales when land transaction tax replaces stamp duty land tax in April 2018

The higher rate for additional residential properties – currently 3% over the standard stamp duty land tax rates – is a new aspect of stamp duty land tax and came into force on 1 April this year. A similar rate also applies in Scotland.

Welsh Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford said:  “We have had an excellent response to the technical consultation about the higher rate of tax on purchases of additional residential properties and whether this should continue to apply in Wales when stamp duty is devolved in April 2018.

“There was a clear view from respondents about the importance of maintaining a single, consistent rate across the UK. I am today announcing that this levy will exist in Wales when land transaction tax – the successor to stamp duty in Wales – comes into force. The vital revenue generated will continue to help fund our valued public services.

“It is important we use the opportunity of tax devolution to consider whether changes can be made to improve efficiency, effectiveness and create a focus on Welsh needs and priorities.”

“We will continue to explore the suggestions put forward by stakeholders about how this higher rate can be adapted through secondary legislation to meet Wales’ circumstances.”

Read the news report on the Welsh Government website in full click here.

Allen Walkey

Highly experienced businessman with a successful career in property sales and investment both in the UK and abroad. Now a freelance writer and blogger for the property and Investment Industry, keeping readers up-to-date with changes and events in a rapidly changing world.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Housing Insight Report October 2025

The latest figures reveal a steadier, more confident property market, with committed buyers driving sales and rental arrears falling to their lowest level since 2022. In spite of slight dips in demand, rising stock levels and stabilising rents signal a sector gradually finding its balance. Residential sales Prospective buyer registrations dropped in October 2025 The…
Read More
Breaking News

9 luxury property features to impress Christmas guests

9 of the fanciest home features to impress your Christmas guests – And how much they’ll set you back As the festive season approaches and we prepare to welcome guests into our homes, Enness Global has identified nine of the most extravagant and fancy home features that define true luxury at Christmas. But impressing the…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

No acceleration in rental EPC improvements despite policy push

Rightmove’s 2025 Greener Homes Report reveals: Energy efficiency of homes continues to steadily improve, but slowly: Rental sector stock still more energy efficient than resale stock Both markets have seen a 3% year-on-year jump in proportion of homes with at least an EPC rating of C (58% of homes for rent, 46% of homes for…
Read More
Breaking News

London renters making it onto the ladder without a deposit

Developers helping London renters onto the property ladder without a deposit, when the Government won’t The latest insight from London’s largest lettings and sales estate agent brand, Foxtons, has revealed that despite the Government providing no new support in the recent Budget for first time buyers, a growing collaboration between developers and lenders is helping…
Read More
Breaking News

Prime London Sees Post-Budget Surge in £2m+ Listings

The latest research from prime London property experts, Jefferies London, reveals that, just two weeks on from the Autumn Budget and its newly announced prime property surcharges, an estimated 444 homes priced at £2m or more have been listed for sale across the capital. These new listings account for around one in 10 (9%) of…
Read More
Breaking News

2026 Will Test BTR’s Potential and Government’s Resolve

By Justine Edmonds, Head of Build to Rent / Leasing Strategies, LRG Throughout 2025 I have spent hours in meetings with and on discussion panels with institutional investors, developers and local authorities. And everything I’ve picked up on in the last year suggests that 2026 will be a crossroads for Build to Rent (BTR). The…
Read More