Stamp duty

Am sure this has been asked before but can't find it at present.

What happens if two people, both separated, wish to purchase a house together where one is regarded a first time buyer and the other isn't (i.e. one couple - the family home was sold and the proceeds divided - purchaser not regarded as a FTB; the other couple, one spouse bought out the other thereby remaining in the original family home - purchaser regarded as FTB).

When resources are pooled to purchase a house is there anyway that the payment of stamp duty can be avoided?

Many thanks,
L.

In short, no.

If you go onto Revenue and search for FTB you will all the various configurations expressly verboten.

There are always suggestions that you could try one name only on Deeds and two on Mortgage but that is verboten - no matter what "the man in the pub", the woman on the 46A bus", the Broker, the Bank Manager, or the friend of the friend might say.

In general, people want to pool resources to buy a nice property which means both earnings need to be taken into account, both are paying the mortgage so they cannot be treated as FTB's. Plus I have a huge concern about the legal rights of person who is not named on the Deeds - as said so often, in the event of a dispute arising in the future, why would a Court facilitate resolution for tax evaders?

mf

Have a read at [broken link removed].
Should answer all of your queries.