Our experience with HMRC

Contacting HMRC can be challenging due to the numerous phone numbers and departments they have. If you need to get in touch regarding a stamp duty query, please use the information below.

Please note, based on our experience, HMRC does not provide general tax advice or advice on Stamp Duty Land Tax. For such information, you should look elsewhere.

If you are seeking a refund for the higher rate stamp duty because you purchased an additional property as a new home and then sold your previous home within three years, HMRC has a straightforward process for reclaiming this money. See the link here.

For a refund of the additional stamp duty for non-UK taxpayers, provided you qualify, the process is also straightforward. See the link here.

Calling HMRC: Based on our extensive communication with HMRC for stamp duty reclaims, here’s what to expect:

• Call HMRC using the phone numbers below.
• Expect to be on hold for an average of 20 minutes.
• You will need to verify your identity.
• Once verified, they will likely request a Unique Transaction Reference Number (UTRN) to identify the stamp duty transaction/payment.

Please be aware:

• HMRC does not offer general tax advice.
• They will handle up to 3 cases per call.
• Getting detailed information on the progress of your case can be difficult.
• Expect high-level updates such as “a refund has been made” or “the case is still under review, call back in three weeks.”
• All calls are recorded.

The call handlers are not decision-makers but simply relay information available on their systems.

See below, copied from the HMRC website here.