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Guide · Landlords

Making Tax Digital for landlords

The short answer

Landlords whose gross rental income, plus any self-employment income, is over £30,000 must use Making Tax Digital from 6 April 2027. If you own a property jointly, only your share of the rent counts, and you can leave the joint expenses out of your quarterly updates until the year end.

Compare accountantsAbout Making Tax Digital →

Prefer to talk? Call 0330 057 7175

A landlord holding up the keys to a rental property

Your share

of jointly owned rent is what counts towards the threshold

£30,000
gross rent and trading income, from 6 April 2027
£90,000
property turnover under which simpler categories apply
4
quarterly updates a year, plus a tax return
5 years
to keep records after the 31 January deadline

Who is in

Does MTD apply to my rental income?

Yes, if your rent before expenses, added to any self-employment income, is over the threshold. That is £50,000 now, £30,000 from 6 April 2027 and £20,000 from 6 April 2028. Mortgage interest, repairs and agent fees do not reduce the figure, because it is measured before expenses.

Not sure where you stand? Our MTD checker adds it up for you.

HMRC example

£25,000 of rent plus £27,000 from self-employment gives £52,000 of qualifying income, so MTD applies.

Joint owners

A property owned equally with a sibling brings in £50,000. Each share, and each owner’s qualifying income, is £25,000.

Joint ownership

Jointly owned property

  • Only your share counts towards the threshold. If you receive your share after expenses, HMRC uses that net figure.
  • You only record your own share of the income and expenses, and you do not need to link to the other owner’s records.
  • Fewer records: one record per category per update period is enough for jointly let property.
  • Expenses can wait: you can leave jointly let expenses out of quarterly updates and add them before you file your return. The income still goes in each quarter.

Overseas

Overseas property and landlords living abroad

If you are UK resident, both your UK and your overseas rental income count. If you live abroad, only your UK rental income counts, plus any self-employment income you declare on a UK return.

If your total UK property turnover is under £90,000, you can use simpler expense categories, and that includes jointly let property.

An accountant talking a client through her figures at a meeting table

Several properties, or a mix of owners?

That is where an accountant earns their fee: separate updates for each property business, joint shares and year-end adjustments. We will match you with up to 4 local Making Tax Digital accountants.

Compare accountants

Deadlines

Quarterly updates for landlords

Your UK property business and any overseas property business each send their own updates. Each covers the tax year so far, from 6 April. The MTD for Income Tax guide covers the tax return and the wider rules.

Update coversSend it by
6 April to 5 July7 August
6 April to 5 October7 November
6 April to 5 January7 February
6 April to 5 April7 May

Starting in April 2027?

Your landlord checklist

  1. 1Add up your gross rent for 2025 to 2026, your share only if joint.
  2. 2Add any self-employment turnover.
  3. 3Choose MTD software that handles property income, or an accountant who supplies it.
  4. 4Agree with any co-owner how the shares are recorded.
  5. 5Sign up on GOV.UK, or let your accountant do it.
  6. 6Record rent and costs from 6 April 2027.
Find an accountant for my properties
A sole trader reading a tax letter at his kitchen table

The dates that matter

  1. 6 Apr 2026Started for qualifying income over £50,000 (2024-25 return)
  2. 7 Nov 2026Second quarterly update due for the April 2026 group
  3. 6 Apr 2027Starts for qualifying income over £30,000 (2025-26 return). Penalty points for late quarterly updates begin
  4. 7 Aug 2027First quarterly update due for the April 2027 group
  5. 31 Jan 2028First MTD tax return and payment due for 2026-27
  6. 6 Apr 2028Starts for qualifying income over £20,000 (2026-27 return)

Questions people ask

MTD for landlords: your questions

Does MTD apply to landlords?

Yes. Landlords registered for Self Assessment must use it once their gross property income, plus any self-employment income, is over the threshold: £30,000 from 6 April 2027. Source

Is the threshold based on rent or profit?

Rent. Qualifying income is your property income before expenses, so mortgage interest and repairs do not reduce it. Source

How does jointly owned property work?

Only your share of the rent counts towards the threshold. You record only your share, and you can leave the joint expenses out of quarterly updates until your tax return. Source

Does overseas rental income count?

If you are UK resident, yes. If you live abroad, only your UK rental income counts. Source

Do I need separate updates for property and self-employment?

Yes. Each self-employment and each property business has its own quarterly updates. Source

Can I keep using a spreadsheet for my rentals?

Yes, with HMRC-recognised bridging software that sends the figures to HMRC. Source

Guides

MTD for Income Tax explainedWho is in, the dates, quarterly updates and what it costs.Making Tax Digital for the self-employedWhat changes for sole traders from April 2027.Self-employed tax calculatorHow much tax and NI to set aside each quarter.Self-employed mileage calculatorThe 55p rate or actual costs: which claims more.MTD deadline calendarEvery update and payment date, added to your calendar.Do I need to use Making Tax Digital?Check your qualifying income and start date.MTD software or an accountant?Software, spreadsheets and bridging tools compared.How to sign up for Making Tax DigitalSigning up yourself, or letting an accountant do it.MTD penalties and exemptionsPenalty points, late payment and who is exempt.Accountants for small businessWhat they do, what to ask and what they cost.MTD for builders and CIS subcontractorsHomeowner and contractor work, CIS and the reverse charge.MTD for plumbers and electriciansDeposits, van stock, scheme fees and card payments.MTD for taxi and delivery driversSeveral apps, platform reports and car costs.MTD for hair and beautyRent-a-chair, tips, products and mobile work.MTD for cleaners and carersMany small clients and travel between them.

Sources

Written by the Compare Advantage team, Chorley. Facts checked against GOV.UK on 3 November 2026.

Compare Advantage is an introduction service. We are not an accountancy firm and do not give tax advice. We will contact you to introduce a local accountant who handles Making Tax Digital, and we tell you which firm before we pass on your details. Firms may pay us for the introduction. Guidance on this page is general and based on the GOV.UK sources linked on each page.