Scottish leases: why this SDLT rent page is archived
In short
The supplied HMRC page is an archived notice, not a rent calculator. It says Scottish land transactions moved from SDLT to LBTT from April 2015.
- It gives no NPV method.
- It gives no tax rates or figures.
- Property location is the first question to check.
Scroll down for the full analysis.
Read the original guidance here:
Scottish leases: why this SDLT rent page is archived
HMRC says that, from April 2015, Scottish land transactions were subject to LBTT instead of SDLT, so this page cannot work out stamp duty land tax for a Scottish lease. The page is archived.
What this rule is about
The page title uses net present value, often shortened to NPV, for a tax-purpose method that converts rent due over the whole lease into one value. But the supplied page gives no NPV calculation. Its only content is a notice about Scotland.
What the official source says
HMRC’s archived manual says SDLT no longer applies to land transactions in Scotland from April 2015. It says those transactions are instead subject to Land and Buildings Transaction Tax.
- The page is archived.
- Its notice concerns property in Scotland.
- It identifies April 2015 as the change point.
- It does not explain how to calculate LBTT.
What this means in practice
For a Scottish lease, do not use this page as a calculator, since it gives neither an SDLT calculation nor an LBTT calculation. No calculation appears.
- First check where the property is.
- For Scotland, identify the LBTT rules that apply.
- For England or Northern Ireland, use the SDLT lease rules instead.
How to analyse it
Start with the location and date. Those two facts decide whether this archived notice is relevant.
- Is the land in Scotland?
- When did the lease or other transaction take place?
- Does the transaction include rent?
- Are you looking for SDLT or LBTT?
Example
Sam takes a lease of a shop in Glasgow after April 2015. This page says the transaction is not one for SDLT. It points to LBTT, but gives Sam no figures or method for calculating it.
Why this can be difficult in practice
For English and Northern Irish leases, the rent calculation rules appear in Finance Act 2003 Schedule 5, although the title may lead readers to expect an NPV calculation from this archived notice. It provides none.
- A page title does not show which tax applies.
- Scottish property needs Scottish tax material.
- An archived HMRC manual is guidance, not law.
Key takeaways
- This page is an archived Scottish notice.
- It contains no NPV calculation.
- Check the property location before using SDLT guidance.
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.
Legislation
- FA 2003 Schedule 5 para 1 — when the rent calculation schedule applies
- FA 2003 Schedule 5 para 2 — tax calculation using the rent’s net present value
- FA 2003 Schedule 5 para 3 — how to calculate rent’s net present value
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
- This archived notice does not say which Scottish LBTT rules apply to a particular lease.
- A lease may need a separate review under the tax rules and dates that apply to it.
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 property’s location
- the lease or other transaction date
- the rent and lease terms
- the applicable Scottish LBTT material where the property is in Scotland
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 Scottish leases: why this SDLT rent page is archived [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.] THE LAW THIS TURNS ON - FA 2003 Schedule 5 para 1 - when the rent calculation schedule applies https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/14/schedule/5/paragraph/1/2025-11-17 - FA 2003 Schedule 5 para 2 - tax calculation using the rent's net present value https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/14/schedule/5/paragraph/2/2025-11-17 - FA 2003 Schedule 5 para 3 - how to calculate rent's net present value https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/14/schedule/5/paragraph/3/2025-11-17 HMRC's guidance page on this topic (guidance, not law): https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/stamp-duty-land-tax-manual/sdltm18455 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 - This archived notice does not say which Scottish LBTT rules apply to a particular lease. - A lease may need a separate review under the tax rules and dates that apply to it. 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 1 September 2026
Useful article? You may find it helpful to read the original guidance here: Scottish leases: why this SDLT rent page is archived
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