Patching up.

[Patrick]

The Chancellor (ha!) "has refused to rule out changes to stamp duty after reports it may be temporarily axed to boost the housing market"

Pardon me for not changing the record, but if concurrent governments stopped using the housing market to manipulate the electorate (with their fingers behind their back hoping it won't go belly up like it always does) then they wouldn't need to constantly tinker with the economics to stimulate or whatever, the market.

Policies should be in place to deliver the thinking that a house is a home and not a cash cow. The rental market should be altered so that it is there as an alternative to buying - at a similar rate to buying with a mortgage - and that tenants with a good record for paying rent are recognised in the same way that someone with a mortgage is recognised with a good credit record.

Unfortunately (some would say) this could mean flooding the market with affordable rented properties via a Government initiative (The initiative being taken away during the Thatcher regime) To recreate a decent balance of "choice".

[betty]

if stamp duty is 'postponed' the government will just be tempting people into more debt once the postponement is cancelled

there shouldn't be any stamp duty for first time buyers imho

[Patrick]

A lot of estate agents are advertising houses as "Stamp Duty Paid" anyway. to tempt folk in. I was reading that the e.a's are shooting themselves in the foot by upping their percentage because of the slowdown. There's good business sense!