Taxation logo taxation mission text

Since 1927 the leading authority on tax law, practice and administration

Implications of changes to main residence relief

30 July 2019 / Gavin Fernandes
Issue: 4706 / Categories: Comment & Analysis
2020 vision

Key points

  • Proposed changes to only or main residence relief include reduction to the final period exemption.
  • Lettings relief will be restricted from April 2020.
  • Illustrations of a property sale being delayed until after 5 April 2020.
  • The importance of providing potentially affected clients with advance notice of the proposed changes.
  • Property owners may want to obtain vacant possession before selling.


In March 2019 the government announced changes to the period of deemed only or main residence relief that would apply on the disposal of a property that was previously the taxpayer’s main residence (tinyurl.com/yyonpzsq). The deemed period will reduce from the final 18 months of ownership to only nine months after March 2020. Draft clauses were published on 11 July.

Further and what is of a greater impact to many taxpayers will be the restriction of lettings relief for disposals made after March 2020. Lettings relief is useful because it...

If you or your firm subscribes to Taxation.co.uk, please click the login box below:

If you are not a subscriber but are a registered user or have a free trial, please enter your details in the following boxes:

Alternatively, you can register free of charge to read a limited amount of subscriber content per month.
Once you have registered, you will receive an email directing you back to read this item in full.

Please reach out to customer services at +44 (0) 330 161 1234 or 'customer.services@lexisnexis.co.uk' for further assistance.

back to top icon