Short answer
Most landlords must file a Self Assessment return. GOV.UK says you must report rental income if it is more than £2,500 after allowable expenses or £10,000 before them; between £1,000 and £2,500 you contact HMRC instead. If you do not usually file, register by 5 October after the tax year ends. The online return and any tax due are due by 31 January.
Figures checked against GOV.UK and HMRC guidance.
Who needs to report rental income to HMRC?
You need a return if your rental income is above the thresholds in the short answer, or if you already file for another reason. Landlords who have joined Making Tax Digital send quarterly updates through software and then a final declaration in place of the usual return. GOV.UK: renting out a property, paying tax
I became a landlord by accident. What do I do?
If you inherited a property, moved out and let your old home, or rented to a relative at a market rent, the same rules apply. Register for Self Assessment by 5 October following the end of the tax year in which you first had rental income. Register for Self Assessment
When are the Self Assessment deadlines for landlords?
| What | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Register for Self Assessment (first year of letting) | 5 October after the tax year ends |
| Paper return | 31 October after the tax year ends |
| Online return and balancing payment | 31 January after the tax year ends |
| Second payment on account | 31 July after the tax year ends |
Source: GOV.UK Self Assessment deadlines. A late return attracts an initial £100 penalty even if no tax is due.
What are payments on account?
If your last Self Assessment bill was £1,000 or more, and less than 80% of your tax was collected at source, HMRC normally asks for two advance payments towards the next year, each half of the previous year's bill, due on 31 January and 31 July. New landlords are often surprised by a first January bill that includes a year's tax plus half of the next. We forecast this so you can set the money aside.
What is included
- Registering you for Self Assessment and obtaining your UTR if needed
- Acting as your agent with HMRC
- The UK property pages (SA105), built from your rental property accounts or from your own records
- The rest of your return: employment, pension and other income on the same return
- Separate treatment for each joint owner, including Form 17 declarations where relevant
- Payment-on-account review, including a claim to reduce them where income has fallen
- A reminder schedule for every deadline
Fees
A landlord tax return is quoted as a fixed fee. What moves the price is what else goes on your return besides rent, such as a pension, dividends or a sale. How our fees work.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to file if my property made a loss?
If you are within the reporting thresholds you should still file, because recording the loss lets you carry it forward against future rental profits.
Can I claim the £1,000 property allowance and my expenses?
No. You either deduct the £1,000 allowance or your actual allowable expenses, not both. The allowance only helps where your real costs are lower than £1,000. GOV.UK
Official sources
- Renting out a property: paying tax GOV.UK
- Register for Self Assessment GOV.UK
- Self Assessment tax returns: deadlines GOV.UK
- Tax-free allowances on property and trading income GOV.UK
Figures were checked against these sources on . Tax rules change: check the source or ask us before acting.