Homeowners must let Burnham's 'mansion tax police' count their bedrooms or face fines

HMRC inspectors armed with a 'value significant features' checklist are set to visit homes throughout England, identifying properties for possible mansion tax liability based on scenic views, conservatories, paddocks, annexes and tennis courts. Refusing entry to inspectors will be a criminal offence carrying a fine of up to £200. Chancellor John Healey admitted last week that the government is 'evolving' its position, with experts warning that the £2m threshold may drop to £1.5m and describing the current surcharges — ranging from £2,500 to £7,400 a year — as 'introductory rates only'. The tax is due to take effect in April 2028 and is projected to raise just £430m a year, a figure critics dismiss as a 'rounding error' against the likely costs of legal challenges.

Shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride said Labour will 'stop at nothing' to squeeze families, calling the inspections 'alarmingly authoritarian'.

Tory chairman Kevin Hollinrake labelled it Labour's 'sinister secret council tax snooping plot', warning HMRC agents will note bedrooms, bathrooms and parking spaces.

Farmers face a fresh alarm — agricultural land adjoining a property will also be taken into account when inspectors carry out their assessments.