{"id":19676,"date":"2022-07-14T15:59:28","date_gmt":"2022-07-14T14:59:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/?p=19676"},"modified":"2026-05-21T10:17:50","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T09:17:50","slug":"everything-to-know-about-making-tax-digital-for-landlords","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/tax-changes\/everything-to-know-about-making-tax-digital-for-landlords\/","title":{"rendered":"MTD for Landlords: Rules, Dates and What to Do Next"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key takeaways for landlords<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What is Making Tax Digital?<\/strong> It\u2019s not a new tax. It\u2019s HMRC\u2019s shift from annual Self Assessment tax returns to digital record-keeping and quarterly reporting through compatible software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Who is this guide for? <\/strong>UK individual <a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/glossary\/landlord\/\">landlords<\/a> and landlord-<a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/self-employed-tax-returns\/bookkeeping\/what-is-a-sole-trader\/\">sole traders<\/a> who currently file a <a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/glossary\/self-assessment\/\">Self Assessment tax return<\/a> \u2013 whether you rent out one property or several.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The key start dates:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>6 April 2026<\/strong> \u2013 landlords (and sole traders) with qualifying income over \u00a350,000 must comply<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>6 April 2027<\/strong> \u2013 the threshold drops to qualifying income over \u00a330,000<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>6 April 2028 (planned)<\/strong> \u2013 the threshold is expected to drop further to qualifying income over \u00a320,000<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Key MTD requirements for landlords:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Keep digital records of all rental income and allowable expenses<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/guidance\/choose-the-right-software-for-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax\">HMRC-recognised Making Tax Digital software<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Send quarterly updates to <a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/glossary\/hmrc\/\">HMRC<\/a> summarising your income and expenses<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Complete an end-of-year finalisation statement (instead of the traditional Self Assessment tax return)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Your action plan:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Work out your qualifying income to see which start date applies to you (<a href=\"#mtd-start-dates\">see the table below<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/tax-changes\/how-do-i-sign-up-for-mtd-with-hmrc\/\">Sign up for Making Tax Digital<\/a> through your HMRC online account<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Choose compatible <a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/glossary\/accounting-software\/\">software<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Start keeping digital records of rental income and expenses<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Submit your first quarterly update by the <a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/general-tax-return-guides\/the-making-tax-digital-mtd-timeline\/\">relevant deadline<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is MTD for landlords?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/tax-changes\/what-is-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax\/\">Making Tax Digital for Income Tax<\/a> replaces the traditional once-a-year Self Assessment tax return with a more regular, software-based approach. Here\u2019s what changes in practice:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Digital records<\/strong> \u2013 You\u2019ll need to keep your rental income and expenses in MTD-compatible software rather than on paper or in <a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/tax-changes\/can-you-use-excel-for-making-tax-digital\/\">basic spreadsheets<\/a>. The software must be able to communicate directly with HMRC.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Quarterly updates<\/strong> \u2013 Instead of totalling everything up once a year, you\u2019ll send HMRC a summary of your income and <a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/glossary\/expenses\/\">expenses<\/a> four times a year. These are cumulative updates, not mini tax returns \u2013 they don\u2019t trigger a tax bill each quarter.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>End-of-year finalisation<\/strong> \u2013 After the final quarterly update, you\u2019ll review your figures, add any adjustments (such as <a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/glossary\/personal-allowance\/\">personal allowances<\/a> or other income), and submit a finalisation statement. This replaces the Self Assessment tax return for your property income.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>How does this differ from Self Assessment today?<\/strong> Right now, most landlords gather their records once a year (often in January), fill in a tax return, and submit it. Under MTD, the record-keeping happens throughout the year in software, and HMRC receives updates as you go. The idea is that by the time you reach the end of the tax year, most of the work is already done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why is the government Making Tax Digital for landlords?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The main aim is to switch all UK tax services from paper to digital, but it\u2019s also because:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It\u2019s believed that MTD will help landlords avoid making common mistakes with tax. Not to mention this can help you to save time when it comes to managing your tax affairs. And of course, we all know how costly <a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/self-assessment-basics\/how-to-appeal-self-assessment-penalty\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">mistakes<\/a> on your tax returns can be!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It\u2019ll save HMRC money. It\u2019s estimated that the current process (including all those tax errors) costs them approx \u00a310 billion every year!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/MTD_graph-scaled.jpg\" width=\"964\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/MTD_graph-113x300.jpg 113w, https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/MTD_graph-386x1024.jpg 386w, https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/MTD_graph-768x2039.jpg 768w, https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/MTD_graph-579x1536.jpg 579w, https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/MTD_graph-771x2048.jpg 771w, https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/MTD_graph-scaled.jpg 964w\" class=\"wp-block-image__media\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 1000px) 768px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" alt=\"Evolution of tax preparation\"><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who does MTD for landlords apply to?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"mtd-start-dates\">The start dates and thresholds (April 2026 \/ April 2027)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Start date<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Qualifying income threshold<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Based on tax year<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>6 April 2026<\/td><td>Over \u00a350,000<\/td><td>2024\/25<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>6 April 2027<\/td><td>Over \u00a330,000<\/td><td>2025\/26<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>6 April 2028 (planned)<\/td><td>Over \u00a320,000<\/td><td>2026\/27<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n<\/div> <!-- .c-body -->\n\n<div class=\"b-highlight-mini m-blue m-align-left\">\n    <div class=\"b-block-body\">\n        <p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HMRC will use your Self Assessment tax return to identify whether you fall into each group. However, registration is not automatic \u2013 you\u2019ll still need to sign up yourself<\/span><\/p>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/div> <!-- .b-highlight-mini -->\n\n<div class=\"c-body\">\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What \u201cqualifying income\u201d means<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Qualifying income is your <a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/self-employed-tax-returns\/bookkeeping\/how-to-use-the-gross-profit-formula\/\">gross income<\/a> (before expenses) from:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>UK property (residential lettings, commercial property, furnished holiday lettings)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Overseas property<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Self-employment (sole trader income)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have income from both property and <a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/glossary\/self-employed\/\">self-employment<\/a>, these are combined to work out whether you hit the threshold.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div> <!-- .c-body -->\n\n<div class=\"b-highlight-mini m-yellow m-align-left\">\n    <div class=\"b-block-body\">\n        <p><b>Important:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It\u2019s your gross rental income that counts, not your profit. So even if your expenses bring your taxable profit well below \u00a350,000, you may still be caught if your total rental receipts plus any sole trader turnover exceed the threshold.<\/span><\/p>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/div> <!-- .b-highlight-mini -->\n\n<div class=\"c-body\">\n\n\n\n<\/div> <!-- .c-body -->\n\n<div class=\"b-highlight-mini m-nude m-align-left\">\n    <div class=\"b-block-body\">\n        <p><b>Example:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Sarah earns \u00a332,000 a year in rental income from two buy-to-let properties. She also runs a small freelance business that brings in \u00a322,000 a year. Her qualifying income is \u00a332,000 + \u00a322,000 = \u00a354,000. Because this exceeds \u00a350,000, Sarah must comply with MTD from 6 April 2026, based on her 2024\/25 income.<\/span><\/p>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/div> <!-- .b-highlight-mini -->\n\n<div class=\"c-body\">\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Common landlord scenarios<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u201cI only rent one property\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You still need to check your qualifying income. If the gross rent from that single property (combined with any self-employment income) exceeds the threshold, MTD applies to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u201cI\u2019m employed (PAYE) and also rent property\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your <a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/glossary\/paye\/\">PAYE<\/a> salary doesn\u2019t count towards qualifying income \u2014 only property and self-employment income do. So if your only non-PAYE income is \u00a325,000 in rent, you\u2019re currently below the \u00a350,000 threshold and won\u2019t need to comply until the threshold drops further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u201cI\u2019m a landlord and self-employed\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both income sources are added together. If the combined gross figure exceeds the relevant threshold, you\u2019ll need to use MTD for all of those income sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u201cMy income fluctuates year to year\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>HMRC will look at the relevant tax year\u2019s income to decide whether you need to join. If your income dips below the threshold one year, you may drop out of the requirement \u2014 but if it rises again, you\u2019ll need to re-join. It\u2019s worth keeping digital records regardless, so you\u2019re prepared either way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What if I\u2019m a landlord that\u2019s registered as a limited company?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>MTD isn\u2019t applicable to landlords who are registered as a limited company. Instead, you can continue sending limited company accounts and <a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/glossary\/company-tax\/\">Corporation Tax<\/a> to HMRC and <a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/glossary\/companies-house\/\">Companies House<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What landlords need to do under MTD<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s a practical checklist of what\u2019s required:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Keep digital records:<\/strong> Record all <a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/allowable-property-expenses-for-rental-income\/\">rental income and allowable expenses<\/a> (such as repairs, letting agent fees, insurance, and mortgage interest) in MTD-compatible software throughout the year<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Use compatible software<\/strong>: Your software must be able to send information directly to HMRC via their API. Spreadsheets alone won\u2019t be enough unless they\u2019re linked to bridging software<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Submit quarterly updates:<\/strong> Send HMRC a summary of your income and expenses four times a year, by the following deadlines:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure id=\"mtd-start-dates\" class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Quarter<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Update due by<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>6 April \u2013 5 July<\/td><td>7 August<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>6 July \u2013 5 October<\/td><td>7 November<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>6 October \u2013 5 January<\/td><td>7 February<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>6 January \u2013 5 April<\/td><td>7 May<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Complete your end-of-year finalisation:<\/strong> After the fourth quarterly update, finalise your figures and submit your declaration by 31 January following the end of the tax year<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div> <!-- .c-body -->\n\n<div class=\"b-cta-mini m-blue m-align-left\">\n    \n    <div class=\"b-cta-mini__content\">\n\n        \n        \n        <div class=\"b-cta-mini__body\">\n            <div class=\"b-block-body\"><p>Are there penalties for landlords under Making Tax Digital?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        \n        <div class=\"b-cta-mini__action\">\n\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/tax-changes\/making-tax-digital-penalties\/\" class=\"c-button m-large  m-mobile-fullwidth\">Read our full guide <\/a>\n\n\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n    <\/div>\n<\/div> <!-- .b-cta-mini -->\n\n<div class=\"c-body\">\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What software is compliant with MTD?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Once MTD for Income Tax is introduced, as a landlord, you, your <a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/glossary\/accountant\/\">accountant<\/a>, or your tax service (like Taxfix!) will need to use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/guidance\/choose-the-right-software-for-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax\">MTD compatible software<\/a> to update and report digital records of your rental income and expenses to HMRC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s important if you or your accountant already use a type of software, that you check if it\u2019s MTD compliant or not. You can do this here on HMRC\u2019s website. The key points that make it compatible with MTD are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You can maintain business records as required by the regulations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You can finalise your taxable business income and submit your declaration at the end of the tax year<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It allows you to communicate with HMRC digitally through their API (application programming interface) platform.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You can prepare and send quarterly updates and statements to HMRC from your tax records<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What \u201cHMRC-recognised\u201d means in practice:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The software must be able to communicate with HMRC\u2019s systems through their API. This means it can send your quarterly updates and finalisation statement directly, without you needing to log in to HMRC\u2019s website separately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Typical options include:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>General <a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/glossary\/accounting-software\/\">accounting software<\/a> that has added MTD for Income Tax functionality<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Landlord-specific tools designed around rental income and property expenses<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bridging software that connects spreadsheets to HMRC\u2019s API (if you prefer to keep using spreadsheets for day-to-day record-keeping)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What good software should do:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Capture and categorise rental income and expenses<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Store digital copies of receipts and <a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/glossary\/invoice\/\">invoices<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Produce and submit quarterly updates to HMRC<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Keep an audit-friendly trail of all your records<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Handle the end-of-year finalisation process<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<\/div> <!-- .c-body -->\n\n<div class=\"b-cta-mini m-blue m-align-left\">\n    \n    <div class=\"b-cta-mini__content\">\n\n        \n        \n        <div class=\"b-cta-mini__body\">\n            <div class=\"b-block-body\"><p>Taxfix\u2019s Making Tax Digital software for landlords comes with built-in accountant support<\/p>\n<\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n        \n        <div class=\"b-cta-mini__action\">\n\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/making-tax-digital\/\" class=\"c-button m-large  m-mobile-fullwidth\">Learn more<\/a>\n\n\n        <\/div>\n\n        \n    <\/div>\n<\/div> <!-- .b-cta-mini -->\n\n<div class=\"c-body\">\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">MTD for landlords: How to prepare<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if your start date isn\u2019t until April 2027 or later, getting ready early will make the transition much smoother. Here\u2019s a step-by-step guide:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br><strong>1. Check your qualifying income:<\/strong> Look at your most recent Self Assessment tax return. Add up your gross property income and any self-employment income. If the total exceeds \u00a350,000 (for the 2024\/25 tax year), you need to be ready for April 2026. If it exceeds \u00a330,000 (for the 2025\/26 tax year), your deadline is April 2027.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. Sign up with HMRC:<\/strong> You\u2019ll need to register for MTD for Income Tax through your <a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/self-assessment-basics\/find-government-gateway-user-id\/\">Government Gateway account<\/a>. HMRC may contact you if they believe you\u2019re in scope, but don\u2019t wait \u2014 registration is your responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. Choose your software:<\/strong> Pick an HMRC-compatible product that suits the way you manage your properties. If you already use an accountant, check whether their software covers MTD submissions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4. Start keeping digital records now:<\/strong> Even before your mandatory start date, get into the habit of recording income and expenses digitally. This makes the switch far less disruptive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>5. Talk to your accountant:<\/strong> If you use an accountant or tax adviser, discuss how MTD will work in practice. They can submit quarterly updates on your behalf using their own compatible software, or help you get set up to do it yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>6. Consider joining the pilot:<\/strong> HMRC has been running a live pilot for MTD for Income Tax. Joining early lets you test the process and iron out any issues before it becomes mandatory.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div> <!-- .c-body -->\n\n<div class=\"b-highlight-mini m-yellow m-align-left\">\n    <div class=\"b-block-body\">\n        <p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How do landlords calculate their income for Making Tax Digital? See the example below:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tom owns three rental properties. In the 2024\/25 tax year, his gross rental income is: Property 1: \u00a318,000 | Property 2: \u00a314,400 | Property 3: \u00a321,600 | Total: \u00a354,000. His allowable expenses total \u00a312,000, giving him a taxable profit of \u00a342,000. But for MTD purposes, it\u2019s the \u00a354,000 gross figure that determines whether he\u2019s in scope \u2014 and since it exceeds \u00a350,000, Tom must comply from 6 April 2026.<\/span><\/p>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/div> <!-- .b-highlight-mini -->\n\n<div class=\"c-body\">\n\n\n\n<\/div> <!-- .c-body -->\n\n<div class=\"b-highlight-mini m-blue m-align-left\">\n    <div class=\"b-block-body\">\n        <p><b>Still need help calculating your rental income?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/calculator\/rental-income-tax\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">rental income tax calculator<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/div> <!-- .b-highlight-mini -->\n\n<div class=\"c-body\">\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who is exempt from MTD?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Not everyone above the income threshold will need to comply. You may be exempt if:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>You are digitally excluded:<\/strong> If you can\u2019t use computers or the internet because of age, disability, remoteness of location, or any other reason, you can apply for an exemption. This mirrors the exemptions already in place for MTD for <a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/glossary\/vat\/\">VAT<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Your religion prevents you from using digital tools on certain days:<\/strong> HMRC can make accommodations in specific circumstances.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>You\u2019re already exempt from other HMRC digital services:<\/strong> If you have an existing exemption from MTD for VAT, the same exemption should carry across to MTD for Income Tax.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>How to apply for an exemption:<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/contact-hmrc\">contact HMRC<\/a> by phone or in writing to request an exemption. You don\u2019t need to apply online \u2014 the process is deliberately accessible to those who find digital tools difficult. HMRC will assess your circumstances and confirm whether you qualify.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">I\u2019m a landlord and I need Making Tax Digital help!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re a landlord who makes over \u00a330,000 a year in taxable income and are confused by the upcoming MTD changes, then don\u2019t worry. Get in touch with us for some simple, one-off tax advice from one of our accredited accountants. You can learn more <a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/tax-advice\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div> <!-- .c-body -->\n\n<div class=\"b-highlight-mini m-mint m-align-left\">\n    <div class=\"b-block-body\">\n        <p><b>Still got questions?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Get in touch with our UK-based support team either at support@taxfix.com or via the live chat on our homepage. They\u2019re happy to help.<\/span><\/p>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/div> <!-- .b-highlight-mini -->\n\n<div class=\"c-body\">\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do landlords have to do MTD?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, if your qualifying income from property (and any self-employment) exceeds the relevant threshold. From 6 April 2026, this applies to landlords with qualifying income over \u00a350,000, and from 6 April 2027, the threshold drops to \u00a330,000. If your income is below these levels, you can continue using Self Assessment as normal for now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does MTD mean for property owners?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Making Tax Digital means you\u2019ll need to keep digital records of your rental income and expenses using compatible software, and send HMRC quarterly updates instead of filing a single annual tax return. It doesn\u2019t change how much tax you owe \u2014 just how you report it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can my accountant submit Making Tax Digital reports on my behalf?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes. Your accountant can use their own MTD-compatible software to submit quarterly updates and your end-of-year finalisation on your behalf. Many landlords prefer this approach, especially in the early stages. <a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/making-tax-digital\/\">Taxfix\u2019s MTD service<\/a> pairs you with a dedicated accountant who handles the submissions for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are the new tax rules for landlords?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>MTD for Income Tax isn\u2019t a new tax or a change to how much you owe. It\u2019s a change to how you report your income. The key differences are: digital record-keeping (instead of paper), quarterly updates to HMRC (instead of one annual return), and the use of HMRC-compatible software. The tax calculations, <a href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/glossary\/tax-allowance\/\">allowances<\/a>, and rates themselves remain the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do landlords have to submit quarterly tax returns?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Not exactly. The quarterly updates are summaries of your income and expenses \u2014 they\u2019re not full tax returns and they don\u2019t trigger a tax payment. Think of them as progress reports. Your actual tax liability is calculated at the end of the year when you submit your finalisation statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What happens if I miss a submission deadline?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>HMRC uses a points-based penalty system for MTD. Each time you miss a quarterly update deadline, you receive a penalty point. Once you accumulate a set number of points (currently two points for quarterly obligations), you\u2019ll receive a \u00a3200 financial penalty \u2014 and another \u00a3200 for each subsequent late submission while you\u2019re at the penalty threshold. Late payment of tax attracts separate interest and penalties.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div> <!-- .c-body -->\n\n<div class=\"b-highlight-mini m-nude m-align-left\">\n    <div class=\"b-block-body\">\n        <p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This article provides general information only and is not personalised tax advice.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/div> <!-- .b-highlight-mini -->\n\n<div class=\"c-body\">\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key takeaways for landlords What is Making Tax Digital? It\u2019s not a new tax. It\u2019s HMRC\u2019s shift from annual Self Assessment tax returns to digital record-keeping and quarterly reporting through compatible software. Who is this guide for? UK individual landlords and landlord-sole traders who currently file a Self Assessment tax return \u2013 whether you rent [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[469,466],"tags":[348,476,421],"class_list":["post-19676","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-making-tax-digital-mtd","category-tax-changes","tag-income-tax","tag-making-tax-digital","tag-property"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>MTD for Landlords: Rules, Dates and What to Do Next &#8211; Taxfix<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"So, Making Tax Digital for landlords - what is there to know? Find out what Making Tax Digital is and how it impacts you as a landlord.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/taxfix.com\/en-uk\/tax-changes\/everything-to-know-about-making-tax-digital-for-landlords\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"MTD for Landlords: Rules, Dates and What to Do Next &#8211; Taxfix\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"So, Making Tax Digital for landlords - what is there to know? 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