Firstly, you'll pay tax on the sale (stamp duty), of 7%.
On a £20million property? It'll be owned by a shell company in the Vigin Islands or some other tax haven & only the ownership of the company will ever change hands so no stamp duty will be due in the UK.
Yes, this is iniquitous. Stamp duty should clearly be replaced by a better targeted land tax, but good luck getting any UK government to make that change...
> It'll be owned by a shell company in the Vigin Islands or some other tax haven & only the ownership of the company will ever change hands so no stamp duty will be due in the UK.
I believe this isn't true any more. Legally, stamp duty will be due at 15% in this case.
Of course, whether this is enforceable, whether the authorities make any effort to enforce this (as opposed to it being a nice sounding law to appease the public), and whether the people involved actually report these transactions are entirely different matters, and I wouldn't be optimistic.
I believe this isn't true any more. Legally, stamp duty will be due at 15% in this case.
Only for newly built properties - the transfer into corporate ownership attracts 15% duty. However, properties that are already owned by offshore companies care unaffected.
I agree that there are probably ways round the new rules too: The tax laws in this country are so complex that those who can employ the best accountants and lawyers can often simply out argue the Inland Revenue.
I've often wondered how that works. Yes, obviously you can avoid stamp duty that way, but then you're in to "living in company property" area - and that's taxed as a benefit in lieu of income, which would be much more than just paying the stamp duty.
If you're being paid partially in kind, then the Inland Revenue expects to receive it's cut no matter what shape that income takes.
However, if you're not being paid to live there in return for some service there's no employment contract and no income tax to pay. At least that's my understanding of the situation.
On a £20million property? It'll be owned by a shell company in the Vigin Islands or some other tax haven & only the ownership of the company will ever change hands so no stamp duty will be due in the UK.
Yes, this is iniquitous. Stamp duty should clearly be replaced by a better targeted land tax, but good luck getting any UK government to make that change...