What is UK Landlords Rental Property UK Capital Gains Tax (CGT)?
It is important to understand how the capital gains tax for UK landlords works after selling a buy-to-let property and what you must pay HMRC.
Landlords and investors must be aware of the types of property tax (CGT Rates) paid to HMRC when owning a buy-to-let that has been rented out.
CGT needs to be calculated and paid to HMRC on time.
Use our free online CGT calculator to see how much you need to pay HMRC when disposing of a residential buy-to-let (or second home) as a landlord.
What are the basics for landlords?
Capital Gains Tax (CGT) must be paid on any profits you make after you sell an asset, such as property, that has increased in value.
Tax is due to HMRC on the profit landlords make, not the full amount you sell an asset for.
There are many changes made to property tax by the UK government.
There is an annual tax-free allowance of £6,000 in the 2023-24 tax year, which is being lowered annual exempt amount to £3,000 for 2024-25.
Married couples and civil partners who jointly share an asset can combine their allowances, making their allowance £6,000 (in 2024-25).
If the asset was your main residence, this is exempt from CGT due to Private Residence Relief (PRR). This is an exempt amount for the time you lived in the property plus another nine months.
Any other BTL that you sell, such as a buy-to-let investment or second home, is subject to CGT.
If your main home is partly used as a business premise or if you lease out part of the asset, you may need to pay capital gains tax to HMRC.
What are the rates?
You pay HMRC higher rates of CGT on a BTL than other assets.
Basic-rate taxpayers pay 18% of any profit they make, while higher-rate taxpayers pay 24%.
Any gain will be added to your other income sources, working out which income tax bracket you will be in for the year.
This could push you into a higher tax bracket on your income for HMRC purposes.
You cannot carry over any unused allowance into the next year. If you don’t use it, you lose it.
To work out your profit on a BTL upon disposal, you deduct the amount you paid for the asset from the sale price.
Landlords can deduct any legitimate costs of buying and selling the buy-to-let rental asset.
This includes broker fees, stamp duty, and specific improvements made while you owned it.
You can also offset losses you’ve made. If you owned several properties and made a £30,000 loss when disposing of one of them, you can use that against the profit you make from another property to reduce your overall CGT bill to HMRC.
Any losses should be claimed on your self assessment return to HMRC.
At what point must landlords pay money to HMRC?
For UK buy-to-let sold after 27 October 2021, you must pay any money owed within 60 days of the completion of the sale or disposal.
Landlords do this by submitting a ‘residential property return’ and making a payment on account to HMRC.
How do I avoid paying it?
You won’t need to pay CGT for the time it was your main residence, plus the nine months of ownership even if you weren’t living in the house during those nine months.
People with a disability or those who move into a care home can claim for up to the past 36 months of ownership.
If you use more than one house, you can nominate which one will be tax-free for CGT purposes.
It doesn’t have to be the one where you live most of the time.
It makes sense to nominate the renal buy to let that is expected to make the largest gain after you sell it.
You do not get relief if you bought your house just to sell it and make a gain.
Some of the ways you can avoid paying CGT on a house or reduce your bill from HMRC include:
– Consider joint ownership with your spouse
– Time the buy to let sale carefully when it is being rented out.
– Nominate your home as your main home
– Deduct eligible costs
It is worth talking to an accountant beforehand.
FAQ
This is a charge on the profit made upon disposing of an asset that has increased in value. It's distinct from income tax as it applies only to profit, not the total amount you receive.
Upon disposing a BTL, CGT property rules dictate that you may need to pay money on any profit above your annual free allowance. Factors like whether it's your primary residence, if you've let it out, or if it's a second home can impact the tax amount.
"CGT" stands for Capital Gains Tax.
The rate varies based on the type of asset and the taxable income.
Yes, disposing a gifted rental, special rules apply. The cost base for calculating the gain might be the property's value it was gifted to you, rather than originally purchased. It's essential to keep detailed records and possibly seek professional advice to ensure you're calculating and paying tax correctly.