UK residential property transactions saw a dip in July, with an estimated 96,710 transactions completed on a seasonally adjusted basis. This represents a 2% decrease from June 2026 and is 1% lower than July 2025 figures.
Audit, tax, and business advisory firm Blick Rothenberg attributes this trend, in part, to rising property values and unchanged Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) thresholds. The firm suggests these factors are pushing more buyers into higher tax bands, increasing the upfront cost of moving.
Mark Cunningham, a partner at Blick Rothenberg, stated that while borrowing costs, wider cost of living pressures, and economic uncertainty have impacted market activity, the cost of moving has become an increasingly important consideration. He added that the growing tax burden could discourage potential movers and restrict overall housing market activity.