Stamp Duty should be abolished for downsizers, and incentives provided for landlords to turn empty offices, shops and warehouses into living accommodation, according to the latest in a series of surveys on consumer financial sentiment from the Family Building Society.
50% of the 2,300 consumers who took part in the survey also believed that brownfield sites should be developed.
More than 50% said that Stamp Duty should be abolished entirely, while 48% supported turning empty commercial properties into living accommodation before building is allowed on the Green Belt.
Alistair Nimmo (pictured), director of marketing at the Family Building Society said: “Clearly our members, as we do, believe that Stamp Duty is a disincentive to move and remains a real issue for all would-be house buyers, and many members would like it scrapped altogether.
“They can also see the advantages of building on brownfield sites while a surprisingly high number want to see abandoned warehouses, empty shops and offices converted into homes, before building on Green Belt.”
