header-logo header-logo

Budget boost for property

03 March 2021
Categories: Legal News , Property
printer mail-detail
Property lawyers have welcomed the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) transition period, announced in Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Budget

Sunak announced a tapering of the SDLT holiday, gave the go-ahead to 95% mortgages

‘Of course, everyone already knew about the government's extension of SDLT relief, but the transitionary period—halving the rate between July and September—was a surprise,’ Addleshaw Goddard partner Peter Hardy said.

‘Many were worried that the government was simply kicking the can down the road, resulting in another cliff-edge moment only a few months from now, although that may happen then of course. The move will almost inevitably fuel house price growth…and there is a concern that it will make house prices unsustainable leading to a crash with a particularly bad impact for negative equity for those who take the new 95% mortgages.

‘Many questions are still outstanding on how the 95% mortgage will work? Will it be exactly the same as before? It's not clear. We need to know how the government will guarantee them, how long they will last and whether they'll be limited to first-time buyers.’

Sunak also promised business rate reductions for hospitality and leisure to stimulate the High Street. Eligible businesses will be able to claim a 100% discount on business rates until June and two-thirds discount for the rest of the year up to a cap of £2m.

Categories: Legal News , Property
printer mail-details

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Serious injury teambolstered by high-profile partner hire

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Firm strengthens employment team with partner hire

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

Lawyers’ liability practice strengthened with partner appointment in London

NEWS
Tech companies will be legally required to prevent material that encourages or assists serious self-harm appearing on their platforms, under Online Safety Act 2023 regulations due to come into force in the autumn
Commercial leasehold, the defence of insanity and ‘consent’ in the criminal law are among the next tranche of projects for the Law Commission
The Bar has a culture of ‘impunity’ and ‘collusive bystanding’ in which making a complaint is deemed career-ending due to a ‘cohort of untouchables’ at the top, Baroness Harriet Harman KC has found
Lawyers have broadly welcomed plans to electronically tag up to 22,000 more offenders, scrap most prison terms below a year and make prisoners ‘earn’ early release
David Lammy, Ellie Reeves and Baroness Levitt have taken up office at the Ministry of Justice, following the cabinet reshuffle
back-to-top-scroll