Stamp Duty Deadline: These Local Councils Could Cost Buyers Thousands In Fees
With just under eight weeks to go until the 30 June Stamp Duty deadline, new data has revealed the towns and cities across the UK where prospective homeowners are most and least likely to complete on time; potentially saving thousands of pounds in tax.
The research, from online mortgage broker Mojo Mortgages, looked at the current waiting times for local authority searches to be completed – a determining factor that’s having a major impact on the length of time between a memo of sale and completion.
Based on the figures, the time taken by local authorities across the country to complete these searches varied drastically, ranging from five days up to more than six months for some councils. However, it was clear regardless of location, if you were still on the hunt for a property with Stamp Duty savings you’ll need to act soon or it will be too late.
After combining the latest local authority search data with the average remaining conveyancing time of nine weeks suggested by the HomeOwners Alliance the research was able to work out the average total conveyancing time for each local authority. However, it’s important to remember every home purchase proceeds at its own speed.
Those purchasing a property in Ashfield District in Nottinghamshire were least likely to be affected by delays in returning local authority searches, taking five days on average*. A number of other local councils including Bassetlaw, East Devon and Norwich City Council also reported speedy searches taking six days.
The ten and equal councils with the fastest local authority searches and least likely to delay conveyancing ahead of Stamp Duty deadline on 30 June 2021
| Local Authority | Working days delay in returning searches | How many weeks? | Total conveyancing time (weeks) |
| Ashfield District Council |
5 |
1 |
10 |
| Bassetlaw District Council |
6 |
1.2 |
10.2 |
| Cheshire East Council |
6 |
1.2 |
10.2 |
| Crawley Borough Council |
6 |
1.2 |
10.2 |
| East Devon District Council |
6 |
1.2 |
10.2 |
| Eastbourne Borough Council |
6 |
1.2 |
10.2 |
| Haringey Council |
6 |
1.2 |
10.2 |
| North Lincolnshire Council |
6 |
1.2 |
10.2 |
| Norwich City Council |
6 |
1.2 |
10.2 |
| South Gloucestershire Council |
6 |
1.2 |
10.2 |
| Stroud District Council |
6 |
1.2 |
10.2 |
| Uttlesford District Council |
6 |
1.2 |
10.2 |
If purchases were successfully completed in these regions by 30 June 2021, it could lead to potential savings for homebuyers purchasing a semi-detached as their next home as follows**:
| Local Authority | Main town / area | Average price for semi-detached house (£) | Stamp duty to pay (£)*** |
| Ashfield District Council | Sutton-In-Ashfield | £138,623 | £0 |
| Bassetlaw District Council | Worksop | £141,826 | £0 |
| Cheshire East Council | Crewe | £148,704 | £0 |
| Crawley Borough Council | Crawley | £342,384 | £4,619 |
| East Devon District Council | Exmouth | £313,155 | £3,157 |
| Eastbourne Borough Council | Eastbourne | £310,932 | £3,046 |
| Haringey Council | Haringey | £1,420,052 | £83.255 |
| North Lincolnshire Council | Scunthorpe | £126,996 | £0 |
| Norwich City Council | Norwich | £250,180 | £9 |
| South Gloucestershire Council | Yate | £262,737 | £636 |
| Stroud District Council | Stroud | £288,330 | £1,916 |
| Uttlesford District Council | Saffron Walden | £412,739 | £8,136 |
At the other end of the spectrum, those in Hackney could face local authority search delays of more than six months (180 working days), with Havering (90 working days) and Dorset Council (70 working days) also reporting some of the slowest responses in the country. Other local councils faring poorly in this research include Durham County Council, Newcastle City Council and Lewisham Council.