Property Transfer / Equity

[SandyCrxn]

Hi - First ever post so please be go easy on me - looking a tax efficient way to 'trade' houses with my Husband's parents.

My husband and I live with his parents in a property under their name. We both have a property each in our names, one is BTL - whilst the other is our old house under a residential mortgage, and currently empty.

We would like to 'sell' these two BTL properties to his parents, and in return buy their property (that we live in) from them to release the equity (it is paid off). They are both retired and would like to have additional income through the rental properties. We would then have one mortgage/property - with the aim to find a larger property for all of us to move into (as the current on is too small).

Hoping for a general steer on how such a 'trade' would (or wouldn't) work in reality - and the alternatives, if there are any.

[SDLT Geek]

A property swap is not treated favourably for SDLT. Each party pays SDLT on the property it acquires, usually on the market value.

[SandyCrxn]

Thank you for the reply!

Aside from SDLT is there any other taxes I would.need consider (aside from CGT on the sale of our buy to let's)

Our 2 BTL properties are worth circa 300k in total, and my Husband's parent's property is worth around 450k. I'm thinking we could buy that from them, and sell our 2 to them (effectively the 'swap').