Archived SDLT rent NPV example: why you should not use it
Archived HMRC example
HMRC says this rent NPV example is no longer relevant. It gives no facts or calculation to use for a current lease.
- Do not rely on an old version
- Read the actual rent clauses
- Verify current law for the relevant date
Scroll down for the full analysis.
Read the original guidance here:
Archived SDLT rent NPV example: why you should not use it
HMRC has archived this page and says its example no longer applies, so the page does not provide a stamp duty calculation you can safely use when considering a current lease. Do not treat it as one.
What this rule is about
The old page title referred to rent that could vary or be uncertain, and to an NPV calculation, which works with lease rent over time. The page now offers no worked example.
What the official source says
HMRC gives a short message: it has archived the page and says its example is no longer relevant. That is guidance from HMRC, not the law itself.
- The former example has been withdrawn.
- No figures remain on the page.
- No replacement calculation is given.
What this means in practice
Do not copy a calculation from an old saved version of this page when lease terms can differ, the relevant transaction date can alter the position, and current law can produce a different result. Check those matters first. The title alone cannot tell you how to treat a current lease.
- Do not rely on the old example’s result.
- Do not assume its assumptions still apply.
- Check the lease wording and relevant date.
How to analyse it
Start with the actual lease, rather than this withdrawn example. The rent terms are the part that matters.
- Identify each rent payment.
- Check whether any amount can change.
- Check whether an amount depends on a future event.
- Verify the current law for the transaction date.
Example
This source cannot provide a worked example because HMRC removed it and leaves no figures that anyone can safely check against a current calculation. Use the actual lease instead.
Why this can be difficult in practice
An old webpage can look official even after its content has lost relevance, when its archived title remains visible and the page offers no current method to follow. That is the trap here.
- An archived title is not a current method.
- Old calculations may use outdated assumptions.
- The page does not explain what replaced it.
Key takeaways
- This HMRC example is archived.
- It contains no usable calculation.
- Check current law and the lease terms.
Technical analysis
For advisers, and for anyone who wants to check the law behind this page. You do not need this section to understand the guidance above.
Official guidance
The pages below are HMRC’s guidance. Guidance is not law. It sets out how HMRC reads the legislation, and it is not binding on you, on a tribunal or on a court. Where guidance and the legislation differ, the legislation wins. HMRC can also change or withdraw guidance, and it may not cover your facts.
Where this is not settled
- The archived page does not say why the example ceased to be relevant or identify a replacement example.
- This page cannot establish the correct treatment of any current lease or rent arrangement.
Evidence you would need
This kind of case is decided on the facts of the individual property. These are the records that usually settle it, and the ones an adviser would ask you for.
- The lease and its rent clauses.
- The transaction’s effective date.
- Current primary legislation and current official material relevant to that date.
Explore this with an AI
Readers often want to test their own situation. Copy the prompt below into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini. It hands the model the actual legislation for this page rather than letting it answer from memory, and tells it to be explicit about what is uncertain. What comes back is information, not advice – check it against the links above.
I am researching UK Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT), which applies in England and Northern Ireland. MY QUESTION Archived SDLT rent NPV example: why you should not use it [Replace this with your own situation: what you are buying, the price, the dates, who the buyer is, and what you plan to do with the property.] HMRC's guidance page on this topic (guidance, not law): https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/stamp-duty-land-tax-manual/sdltm13145 HOW I WANT YOU TO ANSWER 1. Work from the legislation above. Read it before answering. HMRC guidance is HMRC's view of the law, not the law, and does not bind a tribunal or a court. 2. Tell me what the rule actually requires, in plain English. 3. Tell me which facts decide the answer, and which facts would change it. 4. Tell me what evidence I would need to support the position. 5. Be explicit about anything unsettled or fact-sensitive. Do not guess. 6. Your training data has a cutoff and SDLT rates and reliefs change at fiscal events. Say so if you are not sure the law is current. POINTS ALREADY KNOWN TO BE UNCERTAIN ON THIS TOPIC - The archived page does not say why the example ceased to be relevant or identify a replacement example. - This page cannot establish the correct treatment of any current lease or rent arrangement. Do not give me a conclusion you cannot support from the provisions above.
Legislation links show Finance Act 2003 as it stood on 2025-11-17. The law may have changed since, and the rules that apply are those in force on the date of your transaction. The official guidance this page is based on is here.
This page was last updated on 31 August 2026
Useful article? You may find it helpful to read the original guidance here: Archived SDLT rent NPV example: why you should not use it
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