The necessity of Land Registry involvement in managing the stamp duty land tax (SDLT) certificate fiasco (see [2005] Gazette, 28 July, 4), while welcomed, does not solve the underlying problem caused by an inadequate system for processing SDLT returns.

The vast majority of delays are caused by the laughable scanners and Draconian SDLT8 requests to the purchaser (with copies to solicitors 'lost in the post'), together with a helpline that to all but the very fortunate is impossible to reach.


Unless there is a change in policy on the use of defective IT, more funding for the helpline and greater use of the telephone to deal with simple queries, conveyancing practitioners and other government agencies have no choice but to continue making allowances.


Daniel Stanton, Laceys, Bournemouth