Tax on UK rented property?

Pyderman
By Pyderman

Hi,

I have just been reliably informed that I will be liable to pay tax on the rent of my property in the UK, for the entire period that I am out of the country.  Is anyone in the same position and can you clarify this for me?

Many thanks.

 

By Kaizer Soze• 18 Mar 2007 11:22
Kaizer Soze

Just didn't want you to have a nasty surprise a year down the road!

By conduit• 18 Mar 2007 11:17
Rating: 5/5
conduit

Kaizer your reply made me check the papers and of course you're spot on. The centre for non residents, (non res landlord scheme) stipulates that income does not need to be taxed at source, and instead should form part of the self assessment on the annual return, offsetting against the various espenses.

Tax afterall, can still be taxing.

By Kaizer Soze• 18 Mar 2007 08:30
Rating: 5/5
Kaizer Soze

Please be careful. I have been a UK expat for a number of years, have a couple of properties rented out in the UK and have an accountant working on the most tax efficient way to preserve my income.

Being non-resident allows you to request not being deducted at source, which is the case with me, so I receive my rental income on a gross basis.

HOWEVER I must declare this income when I fill out my self-assessment form since all UK originated income for non-residents is fully liable to UK tax. I can then offset my mortgage loans, "wear and tear', repair bills and agnets fees against this to make it more tax efficient.

I reiterate however that for all expats UK originated income is fully taxable.

I hope this clarifies the matter somewhat.

By conduit• 17 Mar 2007 12:04
conduit

By conduit• 17 Mar 2007 12:02
Rating: 5/5
conduit

I'll add my two penneth, having a few weeks to put matters in order before arrival in Doha, I was able to discuss the options with the Revenue. Their advice was simple, being out of the country for more that half of the year allows you to apply for exemption from tax on UK income.

Having a UK property let clearly falls into this area and rental income should generally be taxed. However, residency is the issue and I was able to successfully apply for the exemption using form NRL1, having confirmed I would be living full time out of the UK.

You don't get away with it scot free though, and managing agents still get you with VAT.

For any other argument, any rental income received, should already have been taxed on the tenant's income, so no double whammey!

Con

By dweller• 17 Mar 2007 10:10
Rating: 2/5
dweller

I think it's already explained (personal assessment). However, if you have an agent handling it you may find that they deduct it.

By Serendipity• 16 Mar 2007 20:24
Rating: 5/5
Serendipity

And good luck trying to get any sense out of them if you have specific queries!

I recently phoned to query tax liability on earnings because the information on their website appears to be contradictory, one section saying one thing (you have to be out of the country a whole tax year to not be liable for UK tax) and another section saying if you leave part way through a tax year, you are liable while you are in UK, but after departure you're not liable. Doesn't make any sense.

And the person I spoke to at HMRC on the phone didn't have a clue either, she wasn't aware of the information on the website saying you had to be out of the country a whole year.

So whether you can get any sense out of them about rental income... good luck!

By Serendipity• 16 Mar 2007 20:19
Serendipity

From the HMRC website:

Q10. What happens if I let my UK home/property whilst I am living or working abroad?

A10. Letting agents, or certain tenants if there is no letting agent, must deduct basic rate income tax from the UK rental income if the landlord has a usual place of abode outside the UK. However, landlords have the option of applying for approval to receive their UK rental income with no income tax deducted by simply completing form NRL1 (PDF 205K).

The granting of approval does not grant exemption from UK income tax; any tax liability will be dealt with under Self-Assessment.

If the rental income is also charged to tax in your country of residence, then that country should give the relevant Tax Credit for the UK tax paid.

If you are not in Self-Assessment, you have paid tax and want to claim a repayment, please complete and send us form R43.

If your rent is received gross and you did not receive a Self-Assessment return, the tax return is not necessary if no tax liability arises.

If you jointly own the property, the income is usually shared equally; owners are individually responsible for any UK tax liability arising from their share of that income.

Therefore, each owner has to complete form NRL1 (PDF 205K), make a claim for repayment and complete a tax return in respect of your own share.

Further information about the Non-Resident Landlord Scheme is available.

[source: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/cnr/faqs_general.htm#10nr ]

Also check out non-resident landlord's scheme information:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/cnr/nr_landlords.htm

By fc1yrg• 16 Mar 2007 17:54
Rating: 5/5
fc1yrg

you pay tax on the rental income, less all the expenses.

In my case, I also deduct 10% from total income as 'wear and tear' , repair bills, agent's fees, etc.

I stayed below my personal allowance, so after 2 years of submitting my tax return, the inland revenue send me a letter telling me not to submit my tax return for 2004. I have not submitted any since.

R

By Pyderman• 16 Mar 2007 16:02
Pyderman

How would the friendly tax man know???

By dweller• 16 Mar 2007 15:48
Rating: 5/5
dweller

If it's rented out you will pay tax on the rental amount. That, together with the hassle that renting out involves and the uncertainty of being in the Gulf were the reasons for us not renting ours out when we were in the Gulf.

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