On Tue, 10 Feb 2004 11:08:12 +0000, Mike Mitchell
wrote:

What's the betting that stamp durty will rise significantly, or that
the chancellor will introduce some new kind of tax, e.g. capital gains
tax on first properties?

A rationalization of stamp duty would seem in order, the current
system being highly inflationary wrt house prices: flat rate on all
purchases? Changes to capital gains tax that would hit quick-profit
property developers and serial-movers seem to be an excellent idea.

With the latest Relocation Relocation programme with Kirstie and Phil
extolling the virtues of selling up and affording TWO properties
elsewhere, surely the chancellor and his advisers must see home
ownership as a nice little earner - for him!

Home *ownership* shouldn't / need not attract taxation: speculative
property buying/selling should, given the overall benefits of taking
some of the heat out of the property market.

Julian

--
Julian Fowler
julian (at) bellevue-barn (dot) org (dot) uk