Despite strong representations from the professional community, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have decided that they will stick with a 30-day initial payment requirement for Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on residential property gains for disposals after April 2020. The payment will have to be lodged with HMRC within 30 days of the date of completion of the sale.

The sale of one's primary residence in the UK is not generally taxable for UK residents, so the change will normally catch only those who are non-resident or who sell second properties.

The system will require a payment on account of the eventual liability to be lodged with HMRC. Under the UK tax system, the eventual rate at which CGT is payable can be affected by other transactions and taxable income. The final liability stands to be assessed when the tax return is submitted, which could be as late as the January following the tax year in which the disposal is made.