Nothing says Monday like a tax threshold. Here's the one that decides whether HMRC wants your rent in quarterly instalments.
The lead: the £30,000 line that puts you in Making Tax Digital
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax means keeping digital records and sending HMRC updates through the year, instead of one annual return. Under the gov.uk guidance, it started on 6 April 2026 for anyone with qualifying income above £50,000. The line drops to £30,000 from 6 April 2027, and to £20,000 from 6 April 2028.
The catch is which year counts. The April 2027 start is set by your income for 2025-26, the tax year that ended last April. The April 2028 start is set by 2026-27. Lender Lendlord found that 17.7% of landlords, about one in six, are already over £50,000, as reported by Landlord Today. Landlord Today also reports that qualifying income is gross, before expenses, and adds in any self-employed income. So a modest profit after mortgage interest and repairs doesn't mean you're under the line.
Add up the rent you received in 2025-26, plus any self-employed income, and see where you land. If it's over £30,000, you start in April. Use the gov.uk page to check how qualifying income is worked out, ask your accountant about software well before spring, and ask your agent whether their statements can feed it.
One in three landlords has sold, or is thinking about it
Lender Landbay surveyed about 2,000 landlords on how they've adapted to the Renters' Rights Act. 33% have sold or are considering selling, 36% raised rents, 34% tightened referencing or affordability checks and 29% cut their plans to buy more, as reported by Landlord Today. 32% said the end of Section 21 hit hardest. 28% have changed nothing.
On the landlord register, 65% expect higher costs and 59% say they feel prepared. If you're in the 28% who've sat tight, you're not behind. If you're weighing a sale, get a realistic valuation, add up the full cost of selling and ask your accountant about the tax before you list.
HMRC wants your agent to report your rent regularly
HMRC has opened a consultation on improving property income data reporting, published on 28 October and open until 20 January 2027. It looks at changing what letting agents and tenancy deposit schemes report about property income, how often, and under which tax identifiers. The Negotiator reports that this would replace one-off requests from HMRC with regular reporting. There's no start date, and these are proposals, not law.
If an agent manages your property, HMRC may eventually see your rent figures without waiting for your return. Keep your own records in line with your agent's statements, and ask what they currently send to HMRC. Anyone can respond to the consultation before it closes.
£62bn of fixed-rate mortgages are about to run out
Paragon Bank asked nearly 600 landlords about their plans. 40% of those with buy-to-let mortgages expect to refinance within a year, and 43% of all landlords own outright. Landlord Today puts the buy-to-let fixes ending in the year to August 2027 at £62bn, and quotes Paragon saying remortgaging made up three quarters of buy-to-let business in the first half of 2026, as reported by Landlord Today.
Find the date your fix ends and ask your broker how far ahead you can lock in a new deal. With this many people moving at once, an early quote costs you nothing.
Quick hits
- Mortgage approvals: Bank of England figures show house purchase approvals fell to 53,400 in September, the lowest since December 2023, and the average new mortgage rate edged up to 4.63%, as reported by The Negotiator. There's no buy-to-let split. If you're selling, expect buyers to take their time.
- Energy bills: Ofgem's moving home guidance consultation closes on 9 December. Property118 reports that landlords could become liable for a tenant's unpaid charges if they don't give suppliers move-in and move-out details. It's a proposal, not law. Note tenancy start and end dates and meter readings now.
- Agent standards: in a GetAgent survey of agents, 92% back tougher regulation and 15% name hidden fees as a cause of poor standards, as reported by Property118. Ask your agent for every fee on one itemised list.
- Agent upsell: Agent Rainmaker's Sally Lawson says the tax rise and Making Tax Digital are a chance for agents to sell tax and compliance support, as reported by Letting Agent Today. Expect a pitch, and ask what it costs and whether your accountant already does it.
Number of the day: 42,600
That's how many mortgage approvals in September went to people switching to a new lender, up from 34,000 the month before, as reported by The Negotiator. It covers all mortgages, not just buy-to-let. People shop around for a loan when the rate moves. Your letting agent's fee gets the same scrutiny from you only if you look at it.