The government are continuing to welcome comments on the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) filing and payment process until Friday 7 October 2016.
In honour of their Autumn Statement 2015 announcement, the Government are currently holding an open consultation on the proposed changes which aim to make SDLT filing and payment faster and easier.
According to HM Revenue & Customs:
“The current processes for filing a SDLT return and paying the SDLT are effective, but improvements could be made which would increase efficiency, and reduce the compliance burden and costs for both HMRC and customers.”
This open consultation period follows an informal consultation with various interested parties, which has already taken place in HMRC’s SDLT Working Together Steering Group.
The government wants to reduce the filing and payment window to 14 days.
The key issue in hand is the proposed reduction on the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) filing and payment window from 30 days to 14 days.
However, the government are also considering whether conveyancers will only be permitted to file returns on behalf of purchasers online, using either the HMRC online filing service or third party software, by removing the paper return option.
The proposed changes mark a positive step forward for the digitisation of the property sector.
Industry experts are welcoming the proposed changes as a positive step forward for the digitisation of the property sector.
Managing director of tmgroup, Paul Albone, comments:
“It is really exciting to see other organisations taking the initiative to streamline the property transaction.
“We strongly endorse the proposal to file Stamp Duty Land Tax returns online. We believe this will be a positive and significant step towards the property sector’s digital future, as we have already seen great success and increased efficiency through “going digital” with our own online services.”
“We look forward to integrating the service in our own platform when it becomes available.”
Responses to consultation questions must be submitted by Friday 7 October 2016.
Conveyancing solicitors are invited to submit any comments no later than Friday 7 October 2016.
A response document is expected to be published in November this year, with implementation some time in 2018 or after (as some of the proposals will require IT, as well as legislative changes).
Consultation questions include:
- Are you aware of any issues that may arise as a result of the reduction in the filing and payment window to 14 days? If so, do you have any suggestions on how they could be overcome?
- What is your view regarding the option which would entail HMRC rejecting paper returns in circumstances where agents should have filed online?
- What are the expected one-off and ongoing costs of reducing the filing and payment window to 14 days?
The full list of questions can be found in Chapter 4 of the ‘Stamp Duty Land Tax: Changes to the Filing and Payment Process Consultation Document’ [1].
Find below the relevant contact details if you would like to submit a comment:
Email to: sdlt.digital@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk [2]
Write to:
Stamp Taxes Policy Team (SDLT Consultation)
HM Revenue and Customs
Area 3C/20
100 Parliament Street
London SW1A 2BQ