Minutes of Stamp Duty Land Tax Developer Forum

Venue: 100 Parliament St, London G/16

Attendees:

Sally Mills (SM) HMRC Stamp Taxes
Mark Bevington (MBe) HMRC Stamp Taxes
Mark de Brunner (MB) HMRC Stamp Taxes
Lorna Clark (LC) HMRC SDS Team
Tim Minshull (TM) HMRC SDS Team
Susie Campbell (SC) Enact
Kenneth Spoors (KS) Enact
Dominic Cullis (DC) Easy Convey
Adrian Dixon (AD) Landscape
Simon Sabel (SS) Landscape
Chris Daly (CD) Flexihouse
Pete Lewis (PL) Iris
Laura Hundley (LH) Eclipse
Mark Perry (MP) DPS Software
Archie Courage (AC) SDLT.co.uk

Meeting opened at 13.40

1. Introductions

2. Action Points

  • AC is waiting for SM to confirm that he may use his SDLT amendment template. Solicitors like to have an audit trail and would therefore like to register any phone communication on the template. AC is to release the template to two users and monitor its usage. Between seven - eight per cent online submitted forms need amending and must be amended within 12 months of submission and sent to Birmingham Stamp Office. SM agreed and suggested the form contains the date / time of phone call and any references to save re-work at Birmingham. AP - AC


  • TM explained that files sent to the SDS Team should be anonymised so that the information cannot be related to a particular taxpayer.

3. DVD Launch

The DVD launch held at Euston Tower on 5 June 2008 was a great success and received a good mixture of feedback. Cardiff University are planning to download the material and ensure online filing is mandatory element of their training.

Please see attached document published with the minutes which shows the detailed feedback.

A second DVD launch has been organised for 3 October at Trinity Bridge, Manchester. HMLR have confirmed their attendance, ROS are still to confirm if they will be attending. The developers were asked for comment and were thanked for their support in making the event such a success.

4. Working Together Group

Please see separate document published with the minutes.

DC advised the meeting he is now the chairman of the LSSA and discussed his interaction with HMLR and Quintas. HMLR are conversing with 3rd party software suppliers regarding online re-mortgaging transactions. DC is to provide terms of reference for Quintas and many of their members include estate agents and brokers. AP - DC

SS suggested mandating Electronic payments. Stamp Taxes are planning to re-launch their research into the mandating of e-payments. The introduction of mandatory e-payments could encourage a higher take up for online filing.

AD is to attend the next Working Together Group Meeting.

5. SDS Team/Gov Gateway Update

Details of the fixes due in August TPVS release will be circulated with the minutes.

New format for the Government Gateway User IDs will be introduced in September 2008. The format is changing from 12 alpha/numeric characters to 12 numeric characters.

Stamp Duty Land Tax will move from GGIS (Government Gateway Interface Service) to ChRIS (Channel Routing Interface Service) in the future but a date has not been confirmed. This will provide consistency between the services with artefacts, a robust platform and LTS (Local Test Service). This is an offline test service.

6. ARTL Update

There have been 5 transactions and we have 23 firms signed up. Preparations are ongoing for the registration of the 480+ plus firms that have applied for a licence.

7. HMLR Update

Please see separate document published with the minutes.

8. Accreditation

This area is still being reviewed by HMRC as we are unable to use one standard for all services, as each service is varied and has different requirements.

9. UTRN Generation

One software developer will use this initiative. Developers expressed concerns that their clients would dislike having to change their working practises to accommodate this new function.

10. AOB

  • TM advised the group on HMRC's long term approach to the 'free' HMRC online filing product. SS advised that Landscape have had discussions with HMRC regarding this. See statement below:

    HMRC is currently exploring its role in the provision of free software to enable online filing across all Heads of Duty. Whilst HMRC has an obligation to ensure free (at the point of use) software is available to certain customer segments, it is not prescriptive as to how this software is provided. HMRC is keen to encourage third party developers to consider how they could provide a sustainable product.

    With greater assurance that the market could provide the sustainable products, HMRC would of course want to reassess the position of the applications it currently develops and supplies directly. We have already received one or two proposals from TPSDs for SDLT regarding this. We will continue to keep you updated of development, but if you have any ideas of your own or would like further information then please contact the SDS Team.


  • The NPV calculation is in the SDLT6 manual and MBe will look into providing the code for the NPV calculator. AP- MBe


  • The links to the Stamp Duty Land Tax and Lease calculator have been replaced and MBe is to check when the old links will be removed. AP- MBe


  • CD thanked the group for his invite and hopes to contribute to future forums.


  • DC praised the SDLT online forum for its fast take up of online filing since it’s inception.


  • Staff changes - Paul Coulthard has now moved on to another work area and a replacement is being sought.

    Rachel Varndell has now moved on to another work area and her replacement is Carol Finney.

    Sally Mills is moving on to another work area and her last day will be 8 August. Her replacement is being sought.br>

11. The next meeting - has been arranged for 5th November 2008.

Meeting closed at 15.10