Stamp Duty Land Tax: corporate bodies

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is charged at 15% on residential properties costing more than £500,000 bought by certain corporate bodies or ‘non-natural persons’. These include:

• companies
• partnerships including companies
• collective investment schemes

These bodies may also need to pay Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings.

Relief from the 15% higher rate charge

The 15% rate does not apply to property bought by a company that is acting as a trustee of a settlement or bought by a company to be used for:

• a property rental business
• property developers and trader
• property made available to the public
• financial institutions acquiring property in the course of lending
• property occupied by employees
• farmhouses
• a qualifying housing co-operative

These exclusions are subject to specific conditions.

The ‘Homes for Ukraine’ Scheme and relief from the 15% higher rate charge

From 31 March 2022, if you already have relief from the 15% higher rate charge, you can continue to get this while a residential property is being used under the ‘Homes for Ukraine’ Scheme.

Find out more about relief for the ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme and withdrawal of relief and the ‘Homes for Ukraine’ Scheme.

Additional surcharges

There is a 3% surcharge on residential properties bought by companies. For more information, read Stamp Duty Land Tax: buying an additional residential property.

There is also a 2% surcharge on residential properties in England and Northern Ireland bought by non-UK residents on or after 1 April 2021. The 2% surcharge applies on top of all other residential rates of SDLT including the 3% higher rate surcharge.

More information is available on the rates for non-UK residents.