Why the Covid stamp duty holiday reveals big problems in the housing market
HM Treasury "misjudged" the property market when it introduced the Stamp Duty holiday last year, writes Michael Ball, Professor of Urban and Property Economics at the University of Reading's Henley Business School. "What must have looked superficially to be a wizard policy idea – stimulating the housing market and gaining political bouquets from happy buyers at the same time – has rebounded badly."
‘Costly & unnecessary’ Stamp Duty holiday ‘not the main cause of house price boom’ – Resolution Foundation
"Stronger forces" than the temporary tax break have been at play in the housing market over the last year, says an influential think tank - which argues that the UK's Stamp Duty holidays have been "problematic…
‘End stamp duty to rebalance the housing market’ – RICS
20% of surveyors believe replacing Stamp Duty with a modernised Council Tax would benefit the property market and wider economy
Stamp Duty holiday deadline is ‘not a dealbreaker for most buyers’, as vaccine set to boost the property market next year
The Stamp Duty holiday "is not a dealbreaker for most buyers (especially at the top end)", says Savills, after surveying 1,300 prime property buyers and sellers.
Most read
Interview: Inside Strutt & Parker’s big bet on a ‘hybrid’ broker model
Exclusive: Sales chief Claire Reynolds explains how the agency's new brokerage will operate alongside traditional offices, what the move could unlock, and what it says about the industry’s evolution.
St James’s Square trophy emerges from five-year ultra-luxe overhaul
Developer Henigman says freehold Lutyens mansion offers 'rare, generational opportunity to own one of the world’s finest residences'.
RBKC approves 100% premium on second homes
Bills to double from 2026/27 as council moves to address £100mn-plus funding gap.
Strutt & Parker recruits Savills’ Hampstead sales head
Heritage agency boosts new broker network with senior north London hire.
In Pictures: ‘World-renowned’ Scottish estate seeks £67mn
Tulchan is one of the great Highland estates. 'The opportunity it offers is unmatched in Scotland today,' says Savills.
British property mogul reportedly sells $55mn NYC townhouse
One Hyde Park co-creator is said to have sold the property after acquiring a Midtown penthouse.
The New 2% Club: Jamie Hope on pricing in Prime Central London’s leaner market
The era of the ‘comfortable 10% cushion’ is over, says boutique agency boss - today’s market rewards accuracy, not optimism.
Property prices are already ‘bunching’ around new mansion tax thresholds
'Some sellers are adjusting asking prices downwards,' reports big agency, as pricing strategies adapt to keep properties below the £2mn mark.
Why did Iran bomb Dubai? A Middle East expert explains the regional alliances at play
Andrew Thomas, a Lecturer in Middle East Studies and author of Iran and the West: A Non-Western Approach to Foreign Policy, explores 'a deliberate strategy by the Iranian government, designed to exact…
My Property Career: Quickfire Q&A with DDRE’s Oliver Ingles
Recruitment guru Barry Collins chats with prime resi industry leaders & entrepreneurs, distilling decades of experience & career highlights into 60 seconds.
LATEST ARTICLES
Big-brand agency franchise in PCL goes up for sale
Winkworth is seeking an 'entrepreneurial property expert' to take over the established hub in one of the capital’s top HNW hotspots.
Banking heavyweight flags postcode divergence across Prime London market
Buying conditions are ‘favourable’, says Investec, as analysis points to opportunity across three key districts.
Shinerock’s Choices Group bags boutique Bath agency
Estate agency continues national expansion drive, acquiring The Apartment Company's lettings division from Peter Greatorex.
CBRE notes ‘clear signs of recovery in the Prime London market’ as deal values jump
'Buyers are willing to spend more, but they want better value,' comments the agency's Head of Prime Central London.
Prime London Property Market Snapshot: Week 09, 2026
Agreed Sales volumes improved by a third from Week 08 to Week 09, but remained more than 25% lower year-on-year.