Landlord Tax Return
Checklist for 2025/26

Getting your rental figures together does not have to be a January scramble. With a clear checklist and organised records through the year, a landlord tax return becomes a review rather than a reconstruction. Here is what to gather, what you can claim, and the dates that matter for 2025/26, with Making Tax Digital now on the horizon.

This is general information, not tax advice. Rules on allowable expenses can be nuanced, so confirm anything uncertain with your accountant or the GOV.UK guidance.

Income to declare

• Rent received from each property during the tax year.
• Any other rental income: for example, charges for services, or income from parking or storage.
• Deposits retained to cover damage or unpaid rent (these can be taxable).

Allowable expenses to claim

You can generally deduct costs incurred wholly and exclusively for renting out the property, including:

• Letting agent and management fees.
• Repairs and maintenance (but not improvements, which are capital).
• Landlord insurance.
• Ground rent, service charges and council tax or utilities where you pay them.
• Accountancy fees and certain professional costs.
• Safety certificates and compliance costs such as gas, electrical and EPC assessments.

Remember that mortgage interest is treated differently: instead of deducting it, individual landlords receive a 20% basic-rate tax credit. Our guide to holding property in a limited company explains why that matters.

Records to keep

• Bank statements showing rent in and costs out.
• Invoices and receipts for every expense claimed.
• Letting agent statements.
• Mortgage interest statements.
• Safety certificates and any correspondence about compliance.

Keep these for at least the period HMRC requires, and store them digitally so they are easy to retrieve, an approach that also prepares you for Making Tax Digital.

With organised records kept through the year, a tax return becomes a review rather than a reconstruction.

Key dates for 2025/26

• 5 April 2026: end of the 2025/26 tax year.
• 31 October 2026: deadline for paper Self Assessment returns.
• 31 January 2027: deadline for online Self Assessment returns and payment of tax due.
• 60 days: if you sold a residential property at a gain, capital gains tax must be reported and paid within 60 days of completion.

Get ready for Making Tax Digital

From April 2026, landlords with qualifying income over £50,000 must keep digital records and file quarterly under Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, with lower thresholds following in 2027 and 2028. If that is you, the 2025/26 return may be one of your last in the old format. Moving to digital record-keeping now makes the transition far smoother. Our guide to who is affected from April 2026 and MTD checklist will help you prepare.

Frequently Asked Questions

What expenses can landlords claim on a tax return?

Generally, costs incurred wholly and exclusively for letting the property: letting and management fees, repairs and maintenance, landlord insurance, service charges, accountancy fees and safety certificate costs. Improvements are capital rather than allowable expenses, and mortgage interest is given as a 20% tax credit rather than a deduction.

When is the 2025/26 landlord tax return deadline?

For the 2025/26 tax year, the online Self Assessment deadline and payment date is 31 January 2027, with 31 October 2026 the deadline for paper returns. If you sold a residential property at a gain, capital gains tax must be reported and paid within 60 days of completion.

How does Making Tax Digital change my landlord tax return?

From April 2026, landlords with qualifying income over £50,000 must keep digital records and send quarterly updates to HMRC using compatible software, then a final declaration after the year end, replacing the traditional annual Self Assessment return. Lower income thresholds are phased in from 2027 and 2028.