Accountants for Property & Landlords —
Maximise Returns, Minimise Tax, Stay Compliant

Many landlords have deferred Section 24 planning until they receive a large tax bill. Restructuring after the tax has already crystallised is more expensive and complex. Early analysis and action is always more effective.

The 60-day CGT reporting and payment deadline on residential property disposals is strict. Missing it results in automatic penalties and interest. We prepare CGT calculations the day completion is confirmed — never miss the window.

Incorporating a property portfolio into a limited company involves SDLT on the transfer value, potential CGT, legal and mortgage refinancing costs and ongoing limited company compliance. Many landlords incorporate without modelling all these costs and find the benefit is smaller than expected — or negative. Always model first.

From April 2026, landlords with qualifying rental income above the MTD ITSA threshold must keep digital records and submit quarterly updates. Leaving registration until the deadline creates a scramble. We are registering all qualifying clients now.

Section 24 restricts mortgage interest relief for individual landlords. Before Section 24, landlords could deduct their full mortgage interest payment from rental income before calculating their tax. Under Section 24, mortgage interest is no longer deductible — instead, landlords receive a basic rate (20%) tax credit. For higher and additional rate taxpayers, this increases effective tax rates significantly. We calculate the exact impact for each client and model the alternatives.

It depends entirely on your specific circumstances — the number of properties, current and projected mortgage interest, your income tax rate, whether you plan to retain or extract profits, and your long-term succession and disposal plans. A limited company retains full mortgage interest deductibility but has its own compliance costs. We model both structures for every client approaching this decision and provide a clear financial comparison before any recommendation.

When you sell a UK residential property that is subject to Capital Gains Tax (i.e. not your only main residence for the full period of ownership), you must report the gain and pay any CGT due within 60 days of completion. This is separate from your annual Self Assessment. Failure to comply triggers automatic penalties. We prepare the CGT return immediately on completion.

FHLs qualifying as a business (meeting minimum occupation criteria) receive more favourable tax treatment than standard buy-to-let: full mortgage interest deductibility, capital allowances on furniture and equipment, access to BADR on disposal (10% CGT), potential rollover relief and pension contribution eligibility from FHL profits. The FHL regime is changing from April 2025 — we advise all FHL owners on the transitional impact.

MTD ITSA requires landlords with qualifying income above £50,000 (from April 2026) and £30,000 (from April 2027) to keep digital records and submit quarterly updates to HMRC, replacing the current annual Self Assessment. We are MTD-ready and will register and configure all qualifying clients before the mandation date.