Example 5 of SDLTM13125 Moved to SDLT13105, Page Archived

SDLT on Lease Rent: Archived HMRC Example 5

This archived HMRC manual page no longer contains the worked example on SDLT rent thresholds. HMRC has moved Example 5 to SDLTM13105, so anyone checking how SDLT applies to lease rent should use that replacement page and remember that the legal position depends on the legislation, not just HMRC’s manual example.

• The archived page is only a redirect notice and does not now give the actual SDLT example.
• HMRC says Example 5 has been moved to manual page SDLTM13105.
• The topic concerns SDLT on lease transactions where tax is charged by reference to rent, including the net present value of rent.
• If you need the worked calculation or assumptions, you should read the replacement example in its wider manual context.
• Archived HMRC guidance can be misleading because the heading may remain technical even though the substantive content has been removed.
• HMRC manual examples are useful guidance, but the final tax outcome depends on the statutory SDLT rules and the facts of the lease.

Scroll down for the full analysis.

SDLT on rent: where Example 5 has moved

This page relates to an archived HMRC manual entry about calculating Stamp Duty Land Tax on rent. The original example is no longer set out here because HMRC has moved it to a different manual page. The practical point is simple: if you were relying on this page for an example of how SDLT rent thresholds work, you now need to read the replacement page instead.

What this rule is about

The archived page sits within HMRC’s SDLT manual section on calculating tax on rent. That part of the SDLT rules deals with leases where tax may be charged by reference to rent, rather than only by reference to a premium or purchase price.

The phrase “rate thresholds” suggests the example was intended to show how the SDLT rules apply when rent falls within particular charging bands or thresholds. In lease transactions, this matters because SDLT can depend on the net present value of the rent over the term of the lease, and the tax treatment may differ from a straightforward freehold purchase.

What the official source says

The source itself does not now contain the example. It simply states that the page is archived and that the example has been moved to SDLTM13105.

So the official message is not a substantive tax rule. It is an administrative one: this page should no longer be treated as the current location of HMRC’s Example 5.

What this means in practice

If you are checking HMRC’s worked examples on SDLT and rent, this archived page is not enough on its own. You should go to the replacement page, SDLTM13105, to find the current text of the example.

This matters for two reasons.

First, HMRC manual content is often reorganised. An archived page may no longer reflect the current structure of the guidance, even if the underlying law has not changed.

Second, where you are using a worked example to understand how SDLT applies to lease rent, the detail matters. A missing example may omit the facts, assumptions, or calculations needed to understand the point properly.

How to analyse it

If you come across an archived SDLT manual page like this, a sensible approach is:

• Check whether the page contains any current substantive guidance, or only a redirect notice.
• Follow the cross-reference to the replacement page.
• Read the replacement example in the wider context of HMRC’s lease and rent guidance, rather than in isolation.
• Distinguish between HMRC’s manual example and the legislation itself. The example may help explain HMRC’s view, but the legal position ultimately depends on the statutory rules.
• If you are comparing historic and current guidance, check whether the move was only editorial or whether the wording has changed in a way that could affect interpretation.

Example

Illustration: a conveyancer finds this archived page while checking how SDLT applies to rent under a lease. The page does not contain the worked calculation. The useful next step is not to infer the missing example from the heading, but to go to SDLTM13105 and read the current example there, alongside the surrounding manual pages on rent calculations.

Why this can be difficult in practice

Archived HMRC pages can be confusing because the heading may still describe a technical topic, but the content no longer explains it. A reader may assume the archived page still contains operative guidance when it does not.

There is also a broader point. HMRC manual examples are helpful, but they are not legislation. If a transaction turns on a precise rent calculation, especially for a lease with unusual terms, the example may only be a starting point. The actual tax result depends on the statutory SDLT rules and the facts of the lease.

Key takeaways

• This archived page no longer contains HMRC’s Example 5 on SDLT rent thresholds.
• HMRC says the example has moved to SDLTM13105.
• For any substantive analysis, use the replacement page and read it in the context of the legislation on SDLT for lease rent.

This page was last updated on 24 March 2026

Useful article? You may find it helpful to read the original guidance here: Example 5 of SDLTM13125 Moved to SDLT13105, Page Archived

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