21
Nov
New stamp duty call ahead of pre-Budget report
A new call has been made for the chancellor of the exchequer,
Alistair Darling, to provide more stamp duty relief in his
pre-Budget statement.
Mr Darling announced that the lower threshold for the purchase tax
was being raised for one year in early September, but the managing
director of Smartnewhomes.com Dave Bexon said this does not go far
enough and argued the level should be higher, to provide exemption
to the "majority" of first-time buyers.
"This will instil some much needed confidence and send out a
positive message to the market as a whole," he commented.
Mr Bexon also called on the government to do more to help out
smaller developers and ensure unsold stock is bought up to help
provide more affordable housing.
Yesterday London mayor Boris Johnson said his new housing plan for
the capital would use public money to carry out such a
measure.
