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2 landlords, 1 property: how it works

  • 4 min read
  • 2 Sep 2022
Is tax different as a joint property owner?

So, you want to buy a buy-to-let property. In most cases, this means that you’ll have to file a tax return on the income that you get from renting it out – but what does it mean if you buy the property jointly with someone else?

It’s a common question, and one you should know the answer to if you’re looking to invest. 

Keep reading for the ins and outs of how tax works for joint property owners.

We live in the rental property

If you live in the property you own and you only rent out a room or space within the house, you’re covered by the Rent-a-Room scheme. It lets you earn up to £7,500 tax-free rental income per year. 

Depending on where you live in the UK, this can be a big money saver. 

Can the scheme be helpful to you?

You can use the Rent-a-Room scheme if you’re:

  • Resident landlords (you live in the property)
  • Running a Bed and Breakfast, Guest house or Airbnb
  • Renting a furnished room/space in your house

What’s the catch?

Be aware though that the Rent-a-Room scheme applies to you both jointly, so your allowance as joint owners is £3,750 each per year.

For any rent that exceeds the £7,500, you’ll both need to do a Self Assessment and pay tax on the excess – but more on this later. 

We don’t live in the property

If you’re landlords who don’t live in your property, i.e. if it’s purely a buy-to-let, you won’t be covered by the Rent-a-Room scheme. You’ll therefore both have to do a separate tax return and pay tax separately on your rental income. 

However, there are three allowances that you can use to reduce the amount that you pay:

Tax relief on mortgage interest

First of all, what is mortgage interest? Basically, if you take out a loan to buy a property (a.k.a a mortgage), the mortgage interest is what you’re charged on top of the loan amount for the property – and this builds over time. 

When you buy a buy-to-let property, you can claim back 20% of the mortgage interest you pay each year. And this will be split between you and your co-owner. 

If, however, your overall income (including employment on top of your property business) is more than £50,270, you may not benefit. You can calculate what you’ll owe with our Rental Income Calculator.

Your situation

Outlined number oneOutlined number one
What kind of landlord are you?
Monthly rental income
Annual salary
?
Other income
?

Tax and profit

Outlined number two
  • Earnings from rent
    £18,000
    Incl. £1,000 tax-free property allowance
  • Property tax to pay
    £4,346
  • After-tax rental income
    £13,654

How your rental income tax is calculated

Your total rental income tax that you have to pay to HMRC depends on three things:

  • How much you earned from rent
  • If you also live there or not
  • How much you earned from other income sources (salary, self-employment, etc., but not capital gains)

In your case you earned £18,000 from renting out a buy to let property, on top of £38,000 from other sources.

Rental income tax breakdown

Your rental earnings are £18,000

You can claim £1,000 as a tax-free property allowance.

As a result, your taxable rental income will be: £17,000.

The first £12,270 will be taxed at 20%: £2,454 in rental income tax.

The next £4,730 will be taxed at 40%: £1,892 in rental income tax.

Property Income Allowance

You should use this only if your yearly expenses are low. The Property Income Allowance lets you claim a flat rate of £1,000 from your rental income, but you can’t claim it in addition to any expenses.

Expenses

Your yearly spend on your rental property can be deducted from your income when you calculate your tax bill. The kinds of things that you can deduct are:

How does a joint ownership tax return work?

If you jointly buy a house, flat, maisonette, studio or any other residential property that you find, both you and your co-owner will have to do a tax return separately.

Here’s how:

  • Do separate Self Assessments – online deadline 5th October
  • Keep a record of all rental income 
  • Keep a record of all property expenses that you can deduct  
  • File your tax return by 31st January

How much will I pay?

The amount that you pay is based on your overall income. For the 2023/24 tax year, the rates are here:

IncomeTax rate
Up to £12,5700%Personal allowance
£12,571 to £50,27020%Basic rate
£50,271 to £125,14040%Higher rate
over £125,14145%Additional rate

What if the property isn’t owned 50/50?

Unless you’re married/in a civil partnership, your share of the rental profits will be based on the percentage of the property that you own. 

If you and your co-owner own the property 70/30 or 40/60, for instance, the tax that you owe will be calculated according to the split. 

But if you own your property with your spouse, HMRC will assume that the income is split evenly between you. It is possible to change this with a Declaration of Trust, but be aware that there’s a cost attached. 

Otherwise, it might be worth looking into using the Marriage Allowance which is a handy resource if one of you is a low-earner and the other earns less that £50,270 per year. 

Click here to read about the Marriage Allowance.

Still confused and need more help?

Don’t panic. We can help. We offer one-off, personal tax advice from an accredited accountant for just £119. Book a phone or video call to get your head around joint property ownership and what to do next. Learn more here.

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