Conditional Exemption

Houses, land, chattels and historically associated objects if of prominent heritage quality may be exempt from Inheritance and Capital Gains Tax in exchange for public access.

This concession is of critical importance to HHA Members in preserving their properties intact from generation to generation. The 1998 Budget introduced new measures for access to and publicity for exempt houses, chattels and land.

Following letters in 2005 from the Capital Taxes Office (CTO) to individual owners announcing the process of revising existing pre 1998 Finance Act agreements on public access to conditionally exempt property, HHA pressed the CTO on how flexible it was prepared to be to take account of such factors as security and the remoteness of particular houses.   In has taken a more reasonable and practical line than was first feared and has generally commended historic house owners for their welcome to visitors invoking their right to see conditionally exempt objects.

 HHA Members may access information and advice on what the Conditional Exemption rules and arrangments mean for them, by going to the Members Pages: advice / Tax & Grant Advice / HHA Tax Information / Conditional Exemption.