1808 Coalition partners are:
• Association of Mortgage Intermediaries (AMI)
• Association of Residential Lettings Agents (ARLA)
• Building Societies Association (BSA)
• Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML)
• Home Builders Federation (HBF)
• National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA)
• National Landlords Association (NLA)
Peter Bolton-King, chief executive of the NAEA, said: "The Coalition believes that Stamp Duty is an anachronistic tax which, in its current form, is preventing a recovery in the housing sector - it limits market flexibility, creates regional inequality and its slab structure unfairly distorts the housing market. With the Pre Budget Report due soon, now is the time for the Government to take action."
The current Stamp Duty "holiday" for properties lower than £175.000 is due to expire at the start of 2010 but in a recent survey by the NAEA, 91% of estate agents surveyed felt that it should be extended; 86% of those surveyed felt that the tax is unfair.
Robert Sinclair, director of the AMI, said: "It is rare that the breadth of our industry comes together with such consensus on an issue. But the current Stamp Duty regime is distorting the market to such an extent that we feel compelled to speak out. The Association of Mortgage Intermediaries is fully committed to supporting this industry campaign to reform the regime. We implore the Government to not only listen but, to act in support of our request for change to this damaging tax."
Anyone wishing to register comments on the campaign, or on Stamp Duty, should visit: http://www.nfopp.co.uk/1808
