One way to avoid the stamp duty surcharge – or any stamp duty at all – would be to buy an exempt property, such as the houseboat being offered in Clive Emson’s next round of auctions from 3-9 May across the South East and West.
The 50ft-long Wai Hale is moored in a gated community on a small spur of the Grand Union Canal at Southall, Middlesex.
It is guided at £110,000 to £120,000.
