Sale and Leaseback Arrangements: Example Archived, See SDLT16040

SDLT Sale and Leaseback Relief: Archived HMRC Page

This archived HMRC manual page does not explain the SDLT rules for sale and leaseback relief. Its only purpose is to say that the example once on that page has been moved to SDLTM16040, so it should be used only as a cross-reference rather than as current guidance.

• The page is archived and contains no substantive example, legal test, or analysis.
• HMRC directs readers to SDLTM16040 for the current example.
• It does not explain when relief applies, which transaction is relieved, or what tax charge may remain.
• For proper analysis, you should read the current HMRC manual page alongside the legislation.
• Sale and leaseback SDLT treatment depends closely on the exact transaction structure and documents.
• Archived manual pages can still appear in search results, so it is important to check that you are using the current source.

Scroll down for the full analysis.

SDLT sale and leaseback relief: archived example page

This page concerns an HMRC manual entry that no longer contains substantive guidance. The archived page simply states that the example previously shown there has been moved to SDLTM16040. The practical point is that, if you are researching SDLT treatment of sale and leaseback arrangements, this page is not the one to rely on for the current example or explanation.

What this rule is about

Sale and leaseback arrangements can raise specific SDLT issues because a property is sold and then leased back as part of the same overall arrangement. HMRC’s manuals deal with this topic within the reliefs and exemptions material. In practice, examples are often important because they show how HMRC applies the legislation to a transaction structure.

However, the source material provided here is not a statement of the substantive rule. It is only an archived signpost.

What the official source says

The official page says that it is archived and that the example has been added to SDLTM16040. It does not set out the example itself, any legislative wording, or any analysis of how the relief applies.

That means this page does not itself provide the legal test, the conditions for relief, or the tax consequences of a sale and leaseback arrangement.

What this means in practice

If you are trying to understand the SDLT treatment of a sale and leaseback transaction, this archived page has very limited value on its own. Its only practical function is to direct you to the current manual page where the example now appears.

You should therefore treat this page as a cross-reference, not as operative guidance. It does not tell you:

• when sale and leaseback relief applies,
• which land transaction is relieved,
• whether any charge remains on another part of the arrangement, or
• how HMRC would analyse a particular fact pattern.

How to analyse it

Based on this source alone, the correct approach is procedural rather than substantive:

• First, recognise that this page is archived and contains no current example.
• Second, go to the page identified by HMRC, namely SDLTM16040, to find the example now used in the manual.
• Third, check the underlying legislation as well as the manual example, because a manual is HMRC guidance rather than the law itself.
• Fourth, read the example in the context of the precise transaction steps, since sale and leaseback analysis is usually highly dependent on how the arrangements are structured.

Example

Illustration: a reader finds SDLTM16041 while researching sale and leaseback relief and expects to see a worked example. Instead, the page only says that the example has been moved. The sensible next step is not to infer anything from the archived page, but to consult SDLTM16040 and then compare HMRC’s example with the legislation and the actual transaction documents.

Why this can be difficult in practice

Archived HMRC manual pages can be confusing because they remain visible in search results even though the substantive content has been relocated or replaced. A reader may assume that the absence of detail means the point is no longer important, when in fact the guidance has simply moved elsewhere.

There is also a broader legal point. Even once you find the current manual example, the example is only an illustration of HMRC’s view. The legal position still depends on the legislation and on the facts of the transaction.

Key takeaways

• This archived page does not contain the substantive example or rule.
• HMRC says the example has been moved to SDLTM16040.
• For any real analysis of sale and leaseback relief, you need the current manual material and the legislation, not this archived page alone.

This page was last updated on 24 March 2026

Useful article? You may find it helpful to read the original guidance here: Sale and Leaseback Arrangements: Example Archived, See SDLT16040

View all HMRC SDLT Guidance Pages Here