Stamp duty speculation: Your voice matters

Public opinion

Here’s the key themes from the public discussion room hosted on Living Room, Rightmove’s research platform, based on posts between 28th August – 24th September 2025. 

Younger buyers: A glimmer of hope

For first-time buyers and those under 45, the idea of removing a large upfront cost is transformative.

• “Shifting stamp duty from buyers to sellers could make moving feel less daunting, especially for first-time buyers who often struggle with big upfront costs.” 35–44
• “A big one-off payment can be overwhelming, especially on top of moving expenses, so breaking it down over time would take away some of that stress.” 35–44

This group sees the proposed change as a way to unlock home ownership and ease financial pressure.

Older homeowners: Fear of being penalised

Among those aged 55+, the mood is anxious. Many worry the proposed system could discourage downsizing and make moving later in life less viable.

• “It will stop a lot of older people downsizing and therefore will not improve availability of housing stock for families looking to move or upsize.”55–64
• “This will be akin to a tax on getting older in my area (south east).” 55–64
• “Imagine having to pay an additional £800/month on top of mortgage payments. It makes moving even more impractical and virtually out of reach for many.” 55–64

Regional fairness: One size doesn’t fit all

In high-value areas like London and the South East, both younger and older respondents feel the proposed £500k threshold is unfair.

• “£500,000 is the price of an average 3-bed semi where I live in Reading. These are not very wealthy people and if there was a tax on sales, they would never be able to move to a bigger house.” 65–75
• “Where I live £500k does not get you much. It is taxing the everyday person and unfair when you already paid tax when you bought it.” 25–34

There’s a strong call for regional adjustments to avoid penalising ordinary families in high-cost areas.

The emotional reality: hope, frustration, and resentment

While younger people express optimism, older participants voice frustration and sometimes anger at perceived unfairness.

• “It seems to me the Government are intent on penalising hard working people who just want to put a decent roof over their heads and keep it there. It’s sad really.” 55–64
• “This country is punishing its own people more and more giving young people no incentive to own their own property.” 45–54

Alternative ideas from the public

Here are some of the most popular suggestions from the public:

• Spread the cost over time to reduce stress.
• Avoid price cliff edges that distort the market.
• Share the load between buyers and sellers.
• Reflect regional prices to ensure fairness.
• Rethink shared ownership models.
• Scrap stamp duty altogether to boost mobility.
• Don’t penalise older movers or discourage downsizing.
• Encourage home improvements rather than punishing them.