Own a rental property or two? From 2026, HMRC wants you to go digital with your tax. Here’s what that really means – minus the jargon, stress or spreadsheet headaches.
Be sure to head over to our Making Tax Digital hub, full of guides, software reviews, important dates and more.
🧠 Quick Recap – What Is MTD?
Making Tax Digital (MTD) is the government’s big push to modernise tax. The goal: no more paperwork, fewer mistakes, and everything filed online using proper software.
They started with VAT in 2019. Now it’s the landlords’ turn.
🧾 Does This Apply to Me?
If you’re a landlord earning:
- £50,000+ (from rental and/or self-employed income): you’re in from 6 April 2026
- £30,000–£49,999: you join in April 2027
- £20,000–£29,999: you’re expected to join from April 2028
This is total income, not profit. And yes – this includes people with just a couple of rentals, not just mega portfolio landlords.
🧱 What Will Change?
Instead of one big Self Assessment return every January, you’ll now do:
1. Digital Record-Keeping
🧾 No more scribbled notes or paper folders. You’ll need MTD-friendly software to log every bit of rental income and every allowable expense.
If you’re also self-employed, you’ll need separate digital records for each stream.
2. Quarterly Updates to HMRC
📅 Every 3 months, you’ll send a simple summary of your rental income and expenses to HMRC via software. Everyone’s deadlines will be:
- 7 August
- 7 November
- 7 February
- 7 May
No complex numbers. Just the totals.
3. Final Declaration (Once a Year)
✅ At the end of the tax year, you’ll confirm everything’s correct and submit one final declaration – this replaces your old Self Assessment return.
You’ll still pay your tax by 31 January the following year.
🛠 What Software Do I Need?
You’ll need MTD-compatible software that connects to HMRC and lets you:
- Log your income & expenses
- Submit quarterly updates
- Finalise your return
We’ll help you pick the right tool (FreeAgent, Xero, QuickBooks etc). And yes – it can even link up with your bank account so rental income appears automatically 🏦✨
🧪 What About Testing?
HMRC are trialling MTD for landlords with selected volunteers. We’re watching the rollout closely – and when it’s open more widely, we can get you set up smoothly.
✅ Bottom Line
If you’re a landlord earning more than £20,000 a year, MTD is coming your way. But it doesn’t need to be scary.
We’ll:
✔ Help you choose software
✔ Set up your digital records
✔ Handle your quarterly updates and final declaration
✔ Keep you fully compliant
🔗 Landlord? Let’s Get You Sorted
Check out our MTD Hub:
Or just drop us a message and we’ll sort the whole thing out for you – so you can get back to letting, not stressing.
