UK house sales surge as experts warn of stamp duty market distortion
UK house sales increased by 53% in April 2026 compared to the same month last year, according to HM Revenue and Customs. Experts warn that changes to stamp duty are distorting the market, as many buyers rushed to complete transactions before the new rules took effect. Despite the surge, sales were down 3% from the previous month, indicating a complex housing market influenced by external factors.
- ▪101,030 residential transactions were completed in April 2026, up from 65,960 in April 2025.
- ▪The increase in sales was driven by lower activity levels the previous year due to impending stamp duty changes.
- ▪Experts caution that the rise in sales is misleading due to the unusual market conditions of the previous year.
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MoneyUK house sales surge as experts warn of stamp duty market distortionThe sharp increase was driven by lower activity levels the year priorAnna Wise Friday 29 May 2026 11:56 BSTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popover{"translations":{"comments":"Go to comments","share":"Share","copyLink":"Copy link","bookmark":"Bookmark","removeBookmark":"Remove bookmark"},"showComments":true,"showBookmark":true,"articleId":"CF1:2985855To1","articleMeta":{"url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/money/uk-home-sales-hmrc-stamp-duty-b2985872.html","title":"UK house sales surge as experts warn of stamp duty market distortion"}}Martin Lewis reveals how you could save tens of thousands of pounds by overpaying mortgageYour support helps us to tell the storyRead…
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