The current rules
SDLT compliance is a “process now, check later” system, whereby the taxpayer is responsible for meeting compliance requirements, and HMRC reserve the right to exercise powers of enquiry into returns.
Duty to deliver a return
For every notifiable transaction, the purchaser must deliver an SDLT return to the Stamp Office at HMRC, within 30 days of the effective date of the transaction.
The effective date is normally the completion date of the transaction. However, it may be earlier than this if a contract is ‘substantially performed’ before completion.
