London housebuilder agrees to foot stamp duty bill

London’s largest private residential developer has said it will cover buyer stamp duty for six months after the current relief is due to expire. Galliard Homes will offer discounts on its homes in Tower Bridge Road, London Docklands, Wimbledon, Ealing and Romford. The government introduced exemptions on stamp duty last year to kick-start the market in the wake of the first lockdown. But as buyers race to complete purchases by the end of March, developers have called for an extension to maintain momentum. Galliard said the price cut of up to £15,000 on properties priced up to £500,000 will give buyers confidence in an uncertain time. Sales director David Galman said: “The current government deadline has created somewhat of a bottleneck for the buying process, with reports of huge delays on purchases. “If the government does decide to reconsider the cliff-edge deadline approaching that will be a huge boost, but for now our customers can buy with confidence knowing their stamp duty savings are guaranteed with us for an additional six months.”   To send feedback, e-mail emma.rosser@egi.co.uk or tweet @EmmaARosser or @estatesgazette Image by Galliard Homes