This guide is essential reading for landlords and property business: our guides take you step-by-step through planning your business for tax purposes and complying with your different tax obligations during the life of your rental business.
This is a freeview 'At a glance' guide.
An Adviser? You might want also to jump into our Adviser's Guide: Property Business, profits and losses
Overseas Landlord? If you are based outside of the UK, take a look at A non-resident owner of UK property? Start here
Starting a property business
Steps |
Details |
Article & link |
1. |
What is the most tax-efficient way to run a property letting business? |
Buy-to-let ownership: personal v. company? |
2. |
Will Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) be payable when you purchase your property?
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SDLT: Residential property higher rates LBTT: Additional Dwelling Supplement Welsh LTT vs SDLT: Comparing the rates and additional dwellings charge |
3. |
Joint ownership: Are you buying the property jointly with another individual?
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Joint property: legal v beneficial ownership |
4. |
Partnerships: Can you run a property business as a partnership?
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Incorporporation of a property business
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5. |
What is Furnished Holiday Let (FHL) status?
For noting: tax advantaged FHL status ceases from 6 April 2025. |
Furnished Holiday Letting |
6. |
Are you a non-UK resident (individual, company or other entity) buying a property to be let in the UK? What registration requirements are required for non-UK resident owners on purchase and annually with Companies House? |
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7. |
Non-UK resident and considering buying UK property to let out via an offshore company? What tax rules apply? |
Offshore company holding UK residential property: Tax issues
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8. |
Are you a company letting your property to your connected parties? Check whether the Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings (ATED) will apply to you. Can you claim an exemption from the ATED? How will you structure your property ownership if you think it will apply? |
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9. |
Rental income should be reported to HMRC. When do you need to register with HMRC and file a Self Assessment return? What else do you need to do with HMRC? See also S.8(1) notice to file a tax return for details about registering with HMRC. |
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10. |
An accountant's insider guide to property letting and VAT including whether you need to VAT register your property business before you buy your first property. |
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11. |
Commercial property VAT: should you opt to tax a property for VAT? What type of property you can opt to tax? Consider this before you buy or renovate. |
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Your life as a landlord...
How do you calculate your rental income and what expenses can you deduct? Should you incorporate your existing property business?
Steps |
Details |
Article & link |
1. |
Helpful toolkits that includes everything you need to know about how property profits and losses are taxed in the UK. |
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2. |
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Cash basis for property businesses |
3. |
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Trading and Property Allowances |
4. |
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Restricting mortgage interest relief (subscriber guide) |
5. |
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Interest on re-mortgaged buy-to-let property |
6. |
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Rent-a-room Relief |
7. |
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Landlords: Capital allowances (subscriber guide) |
8. |
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Replacement of Domestic Items Relief (subscriber guide) |
9. |
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Flat (fixed) rate expenses or actual cost toolkit |
10. |
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Incorporation: Property business/Buy-to-let |
11. |
Everything you need to know about MTD for landlords before it becomes mandatory from 2026. |
Making Tax Digital: Survival guide (for the self-employed & landlords) |
12. |
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Making Tax Digital: VAT (subscriber guide) |
Selling your property...
You have decided it’s time to sell. What tax will you have to pay and when? Are there any reliefs available?
Steps |
Details |
Article & link |
1 |
What are the Capital Gains Tax and Inheritance Tax issues arising with unincorporated property businesses including Furnished Holiday Lets? |
Property & letting: CGT and IHT issues |
2 |
A guide to the rules which replaced the old transactions in land provisions and extended UK taxation to all profits from trading in and developing UK land, regardless of residence. |
Profits from dealing in or developing UK land |
3 |
General information about what you can and can’t deduct when calculating a capital gain. |
CGT: Deductible expenditure |
4 |
A guide to help you work out what capital gain or loss you have made when you sell your property. |
How to calculate a capital gain or loss |
5 |
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Non-resident CGT: UK property |
6 |
Everything you need to know about how and when to pay Capital Gains Tax when you sell your property. |
CGT: Payment of tax |
7 |
A guide to Capital Gains Tax reliefs and how and when they might apply to a property business. |
An index to Capital Gains Tax reliefs |
8 |
Can you claim Private Residence Relief when you sell a rental property you have lived in? What are the rules and restrictions? |
PRR: Private Residence Relief |
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