HMRC relaxes MTD rules for joint property owners
New HMRC guidance confirms two MTD easements for joint property owners, but a third previously available to self-assessment users is missing. What do you need to know?

HMRC has recently published a digital record-keeping notice in relation to Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self-Assessment (MTD ITSA). The notice includes, amongst other things, confirmation of two easements for joint property owners. Joint property owners using MTD ITSA can save time by:
- Reporting gross rental income from jointly held properties in their quarterly updates, and report expenses later as part of the year end finalisation process; and
- Creating a single digital record for each category of income from jointly held properties and a single digital record for each category of expense from jointly held properties.
However, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) is concerned that there is no mention of how joint owners should report income if they only receive the net profit share figure. Under self-assessment, it is currently sufficient to report this as a single figure, but it appears this is not being replicated under MTD ITSA (subject to further announcements). It is also unclear whether that relaxation will continue to apply to self-assessment and the ICAEW has approached HMRC for confirmation.
Related Topics
-
HMRC and Companies House to scrap free filing services
From April 2026 companies won’t be able to file their tax returns and accounts using the HMRC and Companies House free-to-use service. What steps should companies take ahead of the deadline?
-
Annual accounting: how are interest and late payment penalties calculated?
If you use the annual accounting scheme, you will submit one return each year instead of four or twelve. What are the potential traps if you don’t meet the scheme conditions?
-
Is basis period reform really over and done with?
You heaved a sigh of relief after submitting your 2023/24 self-assessment tax return, especially as it meant the fiddly basis period calculations were behind you. But why might it be to your advantage to revisit them?