Stamp duty land tax (SDLT) has long been a headache for property conveyancers and solicitors, thanks to increasingly complex rules and reliefs.
The topic has been back in the headlines only recently after former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner resigned, admitting she’d underpaid SDLT on her property purchase in Hove.
And while Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ autumn budget announced no imminent SDLT changes, this topic remains a talking point in the property industry – not least due to the serious financial and reputational consequences of getting it wrong.
Small errors, big repercussions
Research from InfoLegal suggests that four in ten SDLT returns contain mistakes, often due to misclassifying properties and misinterpreting reliefs. Conveyancing teams are frequently directed to generic guidance, leaving them to navigate complex rules without specialist advice.
Errors can result in compliance breaches, HMRC penalties, client disputes, negligence claims, and reputational damage.
The penalties alone can range from 30% to 100% of the SDLT lost plus interest, depending on whether HMRC classifies the error as careless or deliberate. So, even unintentional mistakes can have significant repercussions.
And it’s easy to see how SDLT errors can occur:
- Complex rules – SDLT is a minefield with five main tax bands and numerous reliefs and exemptions.
- A shifting landscape – changing thresholds and temporary reliefs mean it’s hard to keep up with the latest rules.
- A reliance on manual processes – many firms still rely on manual calculations, creating inefficiencies and risks of human error.
- Tools that aren’t up to the job – online calculators (including HMRC’s SDLT calculator) lack the functionality to handle some non-standard scenarios (such as corporate transactions and trusts).
- Pressing deadlines – conveyancers are under constant pressure to move fast and provide instant answers in this bewildering landscape.
A recent study from SCA Tax found that 11% of 7,000 submissions contained overpayment errors – highlighting the scale of the problem.
Meanwhile, SDLT scams are on the rise. Unscrupulous SDLT reclaim agents are exploiting weaknesses in the system, encouraging spurious and unfounded claims based on misinterpretation of the law (HMRC).
These issues are all creating a perfect storm within the property industry – underscoring the need for a comprehensive, tailored solution to protect conveyancers and their clients against liability.
4Stamp: a certified solution to ease the pain of SDLT
At OneSearch, we’ve partnered with 4Stamp to bring you a certified SDLT verification tool that provides accurate tax calculations instantly.
4Stamp is a cloud-based solution tailored for the ever-changing UK conveyancing landscape, enabling firms to meet their regulatory obligations under the Conveyancing Quality Scheme.
4Stamp is far more than an online calculator. It gives you peace of mind that your tax calculations are accurate, so you can get on with your job of delivering a first-class conveyancing service.
Safeguard your business against non-compliance
Using 4Stamp, you can:
- Protect against risk – get a certified tax assessment and a complete audit trail. Specialist tax advice is available for more complex cases.
- Get peace of mind with indemnity protection – all calculations are covered by professional indemnity insurance, transferring liability away from your firm.
- Save time and streamline your processes with instant calculations – reducing inefficiencies and admin work.
Conveyancing experts and solicitors can manage and track their SDLT and LTT (Land and Buildings Transaction Tax) calculations directly through our OneSearch platform – alongside Local Authority searches, environmental reports, and other conveyancing tasks. 4Stamp brings together all aspects of conveyancing in one place.
The 4Stamp team can even manage any queries or investigations related to your SDLT transactions on your behalf.
“We understand the challenges that SDLT presents for conveyancers and solicitors,” explains Liz Jarvis, Managing Director, OneSearch. “The rules and regulations around SDLT are so complex and convoluted that even experienced conveyancers can fall foul of the system.”
“For conveyancers and solicitors, 4Stamp eliminates the financial and reputational risks associated with non-compliance while also streamlining the whole conveyancing process,” explains Liz.
“For buyers, 4Stamp ensures that they are paying the right amount – and not unwittingly putting themselves at risk of HMRC penalties or even overpayment.”
Bringing clarity and compliance to conveyancing
Speculation persists that the government is still considering yet more changes to property taxes, including SDLT. In a complex and uncertain market, 4Stamp brings clarity and compliance to ease the pain of SDLT.
Ready to take the first step? See how 4Stamp can help you improve compliance, reduce risk, and protect you and your clients from liability – watch our latest video for an in-depth look at SDLT compliance and how to include it in your next search order.
AML compliance does not end when a client is onboarded. Ongoing monitoring is a legal requirement throughout the life of a matter, and one the SRA has identified as among the most effective controls a firm can put in place.
Here is what it involves, when it applies, and how to make it work in practice.
Why is ongoing monitoring not a one-off AML exercise?
There is a common misconception that AML due diligence is something completed at the start of a matter and then set aside. The law does not work that way. The Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 require firms to monitor client relationships on an ongoing basis, reviewing transactions, updating client information, and reassessing risk as circumstances change.
The SRA has been explicit on this point. In its most recent supervisory findings, it identified ongoing monitoring as one of the most effective controls firms can put in place to protect against money laundering, and one that is still not applied consistently across the sector.
What does ongoing monitoring involve in practice?
Ongoing monitoring has two core components.
- The first is transaction scrutiny. Firms need to check that the transactions being carried out are consistent with what they know about the client, their business, and their risk profile. Where a transaction appears unusual in that context, the inconsistency itself is a signal that requires further attention.
- The second is keeping client information up to date. Customer due diligence is not static. If a client’s circumstances change, whether through a change of name, a new business relationship, or a shift in the source of funds, the firm’s records should reflect that. Outdated information undermines the purpose of the due diligence process.
When does ongoing monitoring apply to a matter?
Ongoing monitoring applies throughout the life of any business relationship, not only to higher-risk matters. All clients should be subject to monitoring, but the depth and frequency should be proportionate to the level of risk.
For lower-risk residential transactions, this may involve confirming that nothing material has changed and that the transaction is progressing as expected. For higher-risk matters, such as those involving PEPs, complex ownership structures, overseas funds, or more complex source of funds scenarios, monitoring should be more active and frequent.
Certain trigger events should always prompt a fresh review. These include a change of name or address, the introduction of new parties, a sudden change in source of funds, or a client becoming reluctant to provide information that was previously available. In these situations, the risk assessment should be revisited and due diligence updated where necessary.
What are the SRA’s findings on ongoing monitoring?
The SRA’s 2024–25 supervisory report found that ongoing monitoring remains one of the more commonly neglected aspects of AML compliance. In many firms, it is simply not built into the workflow. There is no mechanism to revisit a file once initial checks have been completed, and no prompt to reassess risk if circumstances change.
The practical challenge is that ongoing monitoring requires more than awareness. Without a defined process, whether through file reviews, case management reminders, or structured checkpoints, it is unlikely to be applied consistently across matters.
How can technology support ongoing AML monitoring?
Manual monitoring processes are inherently inconsistent. Whether a fee-earner revisits a file to check for changes often depends on individual diligence, which varies.
Digital AML systems can help address this by embedding monitoring into the process. They can automate ongoing checks, such as re-screening clients against sanctions and PEP databases, flagging changes in status, and prompting reviews at set intervals or when risk indicators are detected.
OneSearch AML provides ongoing monitoring of AML and KYC data over a 12-month period, automatically tracking changes to customer profiles and alerting the firm when action may be required.
Ongoing monitoring is best understood not as an additional task, but as a continuous part of managing risk throughout a matter. It requires firms to stay engaged with both the client and the transaction, ensuring that what is happening remains consistent with what is known. The level of scrutiny should always reflect the level of risk, increasing where complexity or uncertainty is present.
Where firms struggle is not in recognising the requirement, but in embedding it into day-to-day workflows. The SRA’s position is clear: monitoring should be active, proportionate, and capable of influencing decisions as a matter progresses, rather than being treated as something completed at the outset and left unchanged.
Join us on the 31st January at 2PM for a free webinar with our partners LMS to demo their confirmly platform, showcasing some of its key features.
Robin Wells, Head of Sales Operations at OneSearch, and Travis Scholes, Commercial Director at LMS will co-host this session, detailing the confirmly platform, its key features, and how your firm will benefit from this technology.
The webinar will run for around 30 minutes, with time at the end for any questions on confirmly, and how to get started. We will also be announcing an exciting incentive for OneSearch customers during this webinar.
If you haven’t yet had the chance to try confirmly, here are some of the reasons why others are switching:
- Law firm submitted data
Information is constantly updated and checked through 1000’s of direct interactions each year.
- Simple to search
Powerful search functionality that delivers information fast.
- Indemnified service
A trusted way to reduce transactional risks.
- Easy access
Seamless integration with OneSearch
- Reduce manual intervention without reducing risk
The latest technology keeps money transfers secure through the continual use of eCOT and checked bank account data.
For any questions on confirmly from LMS in the meantime, please contact intro@onesearchdirect.co.uk
FCI, the supplier of Chancel Check and Chancel Check Premium have recently imposed an increase of near 70% in the supply cost of their reports.
This increase has led to a significant price rise to both reports to enable us to continue to supply and support these reports for our customers. The new prices are listed below, and will start on the 7th November.
| Product Name | Increase in supply cost | Price After 7th November |
|---|---|---|
| ChancelCheck | +£8.20 | £31.20 |
| ChancelCheck Premium | +£32.40 | £118.40 |
We are now able to offer a low-cost alternative to our customers. Launching on the 7th November, Landmark Chancel Residential and Landmark Chancel Commercial are cost-effective screening reports designed to identify historical parishes where a continuing Chancel liability exists. You can find out more about these products by downloading the following Residential Product Card and Sample Reports:
Landmark Chancel Residential Product Card
Landmark Chancel Residential Sample Report
The prices of Landmark Chancel Residential and Landmark Chancel Commercial are as follows:
| Product Name | 0-5 Acres |
|---|---|
| Landmark Chancel Residential (ex. VAT) | £23.00 |
| Product Name | 0-3 Acres | 3-5 Acres | 5-20 Acres | 20-50 Acres | 50-200 Acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landmark Chancel Commercial (ex. VAT) | £26.00 | £35.00 | £46.00 | £78.00 | £165.00 |
If you have either the Chancel Check and Chancel Check Premium products as part of your customer bundle, we will automatically swap these to the more cost-effective Landmark Chancel products, and you don’t need to do anything.
Should you wish to keep the Chancel Check and Chancel Check Premium products in your bundle and are happy with the cost increase, please contact your account manager to arrange this.
To discuss your options please email intro@onesearchdirect.co.uk or get in touch with us on 0800 052 0117 and we will be more than happy to assist you.
We would like to draw your attention to a OneSearch product update.
We are making a modification to the way we display detailed highways information on our OneSearch Prime, OneSearch Prime Commercial, and OneSearch Duo products.
Previously, the adoption status for highways would be displayed showing carriageway, footway, footpath, and verge status.
Going forward, we will be displaying highways status information in a more simplified manner.
These changes are effective immediately. For any immediate questions, please get in touch with our Customer Services team on 0800 052 0117 and we will be more than happy to assist you.
OneSearch and Armalytix are delighted to invite you to an upcoming webinar, detailing the importance of Source of Funds checks in an ever-changing, ever-demanding industry.
The webinar, hosted by Robin Wells and Sheryl Hodgson, will cover an introduction to Armalytix and their history, as well as including:
- What are the regulators saying?
- Why is Source of Funds challenging?
- How is Armalytix changing the Source of Funds landscape?
- What is Open banking?
The webinar will take place on the 27th July, at 11AM. You can sign up for this webinar here.
If you can’t make this date, but would like a recording afterwards, email us here.