First-time-buyers 'disappointed' by government's stance on stamp duty

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The failure of Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling to cut the stamp duty threshold in his pre-Budget Report is "an enormous disappointment for first-time buyers".

That's according to FirstRungNow, which said stamp duty is "one of the biggest expenses" for first-time buyers, and they should be made exempt from it.

According to the Halifax, in London the average price paid by first-time buyers for stamp duty is £8,390.

"It's an enormous disappointment for first-time buyers, because apart from the deposit it's one of the biggest expenses they have to pay out," said Helen Adams, managing director of FirstRungNow .

"Maybe [the government] are holding out on stamp duty policy for a pre-election position. Because it's a way that they can curry a lot of favour with first-time buyers, by helping them out."

"I'd like to see first-time buyers exempt from stamp duty."

She added that she would like to see landlords taxed more.

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