The latest findings from research agency BDRC’s (www.bdrc.co.uk) quarterly survey of 500 private landlords reveal that.

If you are a private landlord, Stamp Duty Land Tax (SLDT and Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are your two least popular pieces of legislations according to the latest findings from research agency BDRC.

The quarterly survey of 500 private landlords asked what legislation they would like to see removed if they could influence the government. The overwhelming front runners were SDLT and EPC with nearly one in four choosing SDLT and one in five EPCs.

The top 10 list included:

Stamp Duty Land Tax - 23%

EPC - 20%

Tenancy deposits 2007 - 8%

The protection from eviction act – 7%

Taxation of income from land regulations 1995 – 7%

Selective licensing or private landlords - housing act 2004 – 5%

Houses in multiple occupation – HMO – 5%

Gas safety regulation 4%

Electrical equipment safety regulations 1994 – 3%

Furniture and furnishings fire safety regulation 1988 – 3%

Mark Long, Director at BDRC, said: “It may not be a surprise that Stamp Duty is so unpopular with Britain’s private landlords. It’s likely to become even more disliked when the 'holiday' for properties under £175k comes to an end in January 2010.”

Looking in more detail at the responses, there are some significant differences around the least popular legislation depending on landlords’ portfolio size. With only 8% mentioning it, stamp duty is less of an issue for professional landlords (those with 20 or more properties). And while 7% of private landlords would like to see the 'taxation of income from land' removed, this proportion reaches 13% when it comes to landlords with one property.

EPCs are equally unpopular with all private landlords - regardless of portfolio size.

A typical Energy Performance Certificate costs £100 to purchase and in theory, is valid for 10 years. However, legislation dictates that if an existing Energy Performance Certificate is more than a year old when the property is put back on the market, then a new one is required.

The research reveals that this additional cost is clearly perceived as an unnecessary burden by landlords.

Long added: “Stamp Duty and EPC’s lack of popularity come from their ubiquity and their thinly veiled revenue-raising by HM Revenue and Customs. Throughout 2008 and 2009 our quarterly research with Britain’s private landlords has reported the challenges they have been facing, and the important service they provide, particularly with such a profound shortage of affordable housing in parts of the country.

“These two pieces of legislation affect all landlords looking to maintain their incomes – and in difficult economic times like these, landlords are clearly questioning their purpose and whether they receive any value from them.”