Stamp Duty Additional Property Calculator

From October 2024, buyers purchasing additional residential properties in England and Northern Ireland pay a 5% surcharge on top of standard SDLT rates. This applies to second homes, buy-to-let properties and any purchase where you already own a residential property (including jointly). The surcharge is applied to the entire purchase price before the normal band calculations.

The combined rates are: 5% on the first £125,000, 7% on £125,001–£250,000, 10% on £250,001–£925,000, 15% on £925,001–£1.5m and 17% above £1.5m. There is no nil-rate band for additional properties — the 5% surcharge applies from the first pound. Companies buying residential property also pay these higher rates.

You may be able to reclaim the surcharge if you sell your previous main home within three years of buying the new one. This calculator shows the total SDLT with the surcharge, a comparison with standard rates and the surcharge amount separately.

The 5% additional property surcharge — when it applies. If you own (or part-own) ANY other residential property anywhere in the world when you complete on a new purchase, a 5% surcharge applies on top of standard SDLT (raised from 3% in October 2024). Triggered for: buy-to-let, second homes, holiday homes, properties bought for relatives. Companies and trusts buying residential property face 5% surcharge from £40,000 (no nil-rate band).

The 36-month main residence replacement rule. If you buy your new home BEFORE selling your old main residence, you pay the 5% surcharge upfront — but can reclaim it from HMRC if you sell the old property within 36 months. Apply for refund via gov.uk within 12 months of selling the old property. This is critical for chain breaks: many buyers complete on the new property a few weeks before selling the old one and reclaim the surcharge later.

Cohabiting partners and the surcharge. If you live with someone unmarried and they own a property: when YOU buy a home in your sole name, the surcharge does NOT apply to you (their ownership doesn't count). But if you buy jointly with them and they own elsewhere, surcharge applies on the full amount. Married couples and civil partners: spouses are treated as one unit — if either owns property, joint purchases attract surcharge.

How the surcharge stacks with FTB relief. First-time buyer relief is NOT available for additional property purchases — the 5% surcharge applies on top of standard SDLT bands. A £300,000 second home for someone who already owns a main home: standard SDLT = £2,500 (5% on £125k-£250k band only) + 5% surcharge = £15,000 + £2,500 = £17,500. Total tax 5.8% of property price — a significant deterrent to BTL relative to alternatives.