Stamp Duty Deadline Spurs Surge in February Completions

As anticipated, the approach of the 31st March stamp duty deadline brought renewed energy to the housing market, with HMRC’s latest figures confirming a significant uplift in activity. February 2025 saw a seasonally adjusted 108,250 UK residential transactions, representing a 28% rise compared to February last year and a 13% increase on January. This marks the busiest February since 2022, according to official data.

This acceleration highlights the familiar pattern of buyers and sellers moving decisively to meet fiscal deadlines, a behaviour we have observed many times across our decades of service in North West London.

Rightmove has forecast 1.15 million completed transactions for the year, with around 575,000 properties advancing through the legal process in a bid to benefit from the temporary stamp duty relief.

Even so, not every buyer managed to reach the line in time. An estimated 74,000 transactions, including some 25,000 first-time buyers, are now expected to complete in April, just missing the threshold. Rightmove suggests this could result in an additional £142 million in tax receipts.

At Rawlinson Gold Pinner, we see beyond the numbers. These trends illustrate the continued resilience and adaptability of the property market, particularly when influenced by shifting policy. As ever, timing, preparation and experienced guidance remain key in navigating these pivotal moments.