Is This Stamp Duty Refund Firm Legitimate?
HMRC warned about unsolicited refund firms. Know what to check before you sign.
Why this matters
In July 2025, HMRC publicly warned homebuyers about rogue stamp duty refund agents — unsolicited firms that promise large SDLT refunds without properly assessing whether the claim is sound. That doesn't mean every refund firm is acting badly — but it means you should know what to check before you sign anything or hand over bank details.
How did a refund firm get my details?
Property purchases in England and Wales are a matter of public record. HM Land Registry publishes Price Paid Data for completed sales — the property address, the price paid, and the date of the transaction — and makes it freely available to download. The same data powers property portals and estate-agent valuations.
Refund firms obtain this data, filter for properties sold above the SDLT threshold within the last four years, and write to the registered owners. There is nothing unlawful about it — the data is public — but it is why a letter can arrive out of the blue, naming your address and implying you are “definitely owed” money before anyone has looked at your actual transaction.
An unsolicited approach is not, by itself, proof a firm is acting badly. But it does put the burden on you to check the basis of any claim before you sign. The red and green flags below are the quickest way to do that.
HMRC's 2025 warning about rogue stamp duty refund agents
In July 2025, HMRC warned homebuyers about repayment agents that send unsolicited mail offering "no win, no fee" SDLT reclaims. The pattern HMRC describes is a claim that a property was non-residential simply because it needed repair or modernisation — with the agent taking a fee from any refund, then ceasing to respond once HMRC opens a compliance check.
HMRC's announcement gives a worked example. A buyer paid £1,100,000 for a London house and £53,750 in SDLT. An agent argued the property was non-residential because it needed a new boiler, rewiring and damp proofing, and obtained a £9,250 refund — keeping 30% as its fee. HMRC's compliance check confirmed the property was residential, leaving the buyer to repay the £9,250 with interest and a penalty, while the agent stopped responding.
This collides with the law. In Mudan v HMRC (our case-law page on Mudan), the Court of Appeal confirmed a property keeps its residential character even when it needs repair — so a claim built on the opposite assumption is exactly what HMRC is now challenging, and the homeowner, not the agent, carries the cost when it fails. Our methodology page sets out how claims are screened against the case law.
Red flags — a firm may not be legitimate if…
- ✕They contacted you out of the blue — cold call, letter, or email — with no prior relationship
- ✕They claim you are "definitely owed" a refund without asking about your specific transaction
- ✕They ask you to sign a letter of authority before explaining the basis of the claim
- ✕They charge an upfront fee before any claim is assessed
- ✕They cannot tell you the statutory basis for your claim
- ✕They are not registered with a recognised professional body (CIOT, ICAEW, ACCA, or the SRA)
- ✕Their terms allow them to take a percentage fee even if the claim fails on review
- ✕They cannot give you a named individual responsible for your file
Green flags — signs a firm is operating properly
- They ask detailed questions about your transaction before claiming you are eligible
- They explain the basis of the claim in plain English
- They are transparent about their fee structure before you sign
- They are members of a recognised body (CIOT, ICAEW, ACCA, or the SRA)
- They give you a cooling-off period
- They tell you clearly what happens if HMRC later challenges the claim
Questions to ask any refund firm before signing
What is the statutory basis of my claim?
What evidence will you use?
What is your fee if the claim is paid, and what if HMRC later claws it back?
Are you regulated by a professional body, and which one?
Who is the named individual responsible for my case?
What is your complaints procedure?
The StampDutyBack approach
We are an independent information resource. We do not make unsolicited contact. We connect users who request help with specialist partners — and we provide the DIY Claim Pack for people who want to understand the process before deciding. We do not earn a fee unless you choose to use the Get Help service.
Frequently asked questions
Are stamp duty refund firms legitimate?
Some are, some are not. A genuine specialist assesses your eligibility properly, explains the statutory basis of the claim, and is transparent about fees. HMRC has specifically warned about firms that cold-call homeowners and promise large refunds without a proper assessment. The firm being legitimate is something you should verify before signing anything.
What has HMRC said about stamp duty refund firms?
In July 2025 HMRC published a warning — "Homebuyers warning as HMRC gets tough on bogus Stamp Duty claims" — about repayment agents that contact homeowners unsolicited and offer no-win-no-fee SDLT reclaims. HMRC describes agents who argue a property is non-residential because it needed repair, a basis the Court of Appeal rejected in Mudan v HMRC. Where such a claim later fails an HMRC compliance check, it is the homeowner, not the agent, who must repay the refund with interest and a penalty.
Who is liable if a stamp duty refund claim turns out to be wrong?
You are. If HMRC later determines a claim was incorrect, it is the homeowner — not the refund firm — who must repay the refund with interest, and who may face penalties. This is why it matters that any claim made in your name has a proper statutory basis and solid evidence.
What should I ask a refund firm before signing?
Ask for the statutory basis of the claim, what evidence will be used, the full fee structure (including what happens if HMRC claws the refund back), which professional body regulates them, the named individual responsible for your case, and their complaints procedure. A legitimate firm will answer all of these clearly.
Last reviewed: 26 May 2026 by the StampDutyBack team. HMRC press release and Mudan v HMRC reference verified against gov.uk.
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