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PARTNERS AND SUPPLIERS

A landlords guide to tax return season

Gemma Doswell 28 November 2023

As we approach tax return season, Gemma Doswell of Tax Scouts shares advice for landlords on what taxes they need to pay, important deadlines and how to file a tax return.

Here are three tips for landlords as we approach tax return season.

Know what taxes landlords have to pay
Avoid HMRC’s late filing and payment penalties
Always choose the easier way to file

What taxes do landlords have to pay?

There are five types of taxes you need to pay as a landlord. Get to know what you owe so you can get a better estimate of your tax bill.

1. Stamp Duty

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDTL) is a tax you have to pay when you buy a house in England or Northern Ireland.

The tax rate you pay depends on the price of the property you’re buying.

Property price	Stamp Duty Rate
Up to £250,000	0%
£250,000 - £925,000	5%
£925,001 - £1.5m	10%
£1.5m+	12%

For landlords, you pay an additional 3% if you’re buying a:

Buy-to-let property
Second home

Scotland and Wales have different rates and exemptions.

2. Rental Income Tax

Income Tax is tax you pay on your regular earnings.

As a landlord, you pay Rental Income Tax, which is tax on your regular income, plus rental income, minus your expenses. This helps determine your tax band.

UK Income Tax Rates 2023/24

Income	Tax rate	Tax band
Up to £12,570	0%	Personal Allowance
£12,570 - £50,270	20%	Basic rate
£50,271 - £125,140	40%	Higher rate
£125,141 +	45%	Additional rate

Use TaxScouts’ Rental Income Tax calculator to find out an estimate of what you might owe.

3. National Insurance

You have to pay Class 2 National Insurance on your rental income if:

HMRC decides you have a “property business”
Your profits from self-employment are over £6,725 in a tax year

If you make more than £12,570 in a tax year, you’ll have to pay Class 4 National Insurance.

4. Capital Gains Tax

You have to pay Capital Gains Tax (CGT) when you sell your property for a profit unless:

Your capital gains are under £6,000 (for the 23/24 tax year)
You’re selling your main residence

There are different tax rates of CGT from 2023/24.

Total annual income	CGT rate (applies to your entire profit
Below £50,270	18%
Over 50,000	28%

Starting from April 2020, all UK tax residents who sell property (unless it’s their primary home) have to use HMRC’s Real Time Capital Gains Tax Service.

You might not need to file a tax return anymore unless you have other sources of untaxed income (like self-employment) or your income changes significantly during the year.

5. Inheritance Tax

Inheritance Tax (IHT) is a tax paid on someone’s estate after they pass away.

Properties can be passed down to you or you could also go on to pass your properties to the next generation at some point. In both situations, IHT may be due.

Who owns the estate	Estate value	Inheritance Tax
You	Under £325,000	0%
You	Over £325,001	40%
Couple/civil partnership	Under £650,000	0%
Couple/civil partnership	Over £650,001	40%

Note: if you leave your main home to a child or grandchild, you get another £175,000 allowance as an extra “main residence allowance”.

Tax deadline reminder

When is the deadline again?

You need to file your tax return and pay for your tax bill, by the 31st January the year AFTER the tax year in question, for example, if you’re paying your 2022/2023 tax return, this should be completed before the 31st of January 2024.

What happens if you miss the deadline?

Late filing penalty

Landlords who are required to file a return, but miss the deadline, will receive an automatic £100 penalty from HMRC – whether or not they owe tax!

Additional fines will be added on top of the £100 penalty dependent on how late you file.

How late you are	Fine (each gets added to others!)
Between 1 day and 3 months	£100 flat fine
Between 3 months and 6 months	£10 each day
Between 6 months and 12 months	£300 flat or 5% of your tax bill (whichever is greater)
Over 12 months	£300 flat or 5% of your tax bill (whichever is greater)

Late payment penalty

Here are the penalties if you’ve filed your return but forgotten to pay your tax bill by 31st January.

How late you are	Late payment penalty
Between 1 day and 30 days	0
Between 30 days and 6 months	5% of your tax bill
Between 6 months and 12 months	another 5%
Over 12 months	and another 5%

On top of these fines, you’ll also pay interest on any late payments. Currently, it’s 7.75% (since Aug 2023). Here’s the full list.

Is there any easier way to file?

Yes! For a limited time only, NRLA members get a whopping 20% discount off TaxScouts’ tax return service - reducing the cost from £149 to just £119, all in.

Sign up and pay for your tax return before 2nd January 2024 to claim the £30 off. Spend less time worrying about taxes and more time growing your property empire.

Let TaxScouts’ accredited accountants sort and file your tax return for you. 0% fuss, 100% online and 20% off.

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Gemma Doswell from TaxScouts, an online tax service. Get an accredited UK-based accountant to file your tax return for you in as little as 48h, and for a low, fixed fee. NRLA members get 10% discount on their first tax return.