As a property owner in the UK, it is important to understand the capital gains tax (CGT) rules and regulations. CGT is a tax on the profit made when you sell or dispose of an asset, such as a property. In this blog, we will cover the 60-day reporting rule, how to calculate capital gains, how to report capital gains, how to get a reference, and how to appoint an agent.
The 60-day reporting rule
From 27 October 2021 (before that it was 30 days from 6 April 2020) the reporting deadline was re-set at 60 days and requires UK residents to report and pay CGT on the sale of a residential property within 60 days of completion. Failure to report within this timeframe can result in penalties and interest charges. Non-UK residents are also required to report and pay CGT within 60 days of completion, unlike UK residents they need to report under the CGT rules even if they made a loss or had no tax to pay.
Companies are not required to report under the 60 day rules.
The rules apply to:
- Individuals
- Trusts
- Personal Representatives
- Partnerships
- LLPs
- Joint Property Owners
- Non UK Residents
Calculating capital gains
To calculate your capital gains, you need to subtract the cost of the property from the sale price. The cost of the property includes the purchase price, any fees or expenses incurred during the purchase, and any improvements made to the property. You can also deduct certain expenses, such as estate agent fees and legal fees, from the sale price. Once you have calculated your capital gains, you need to work out how much tax you owe. The amount of tax you pay depends on your income and the amount of capital gains you have made. The current CGT rates for residential property are 18% for basic rate taxpayers and 28% for higher rate taxpayers.
There is an annual exempt amount for individuals
- 2022/23 £12,300
- 2023/24 £6,000
- 2024/25 £3,000
For Trusts the amounts above are halved
If the UK Resident lived in the property they could qualify for Private Residence Relief HS283 Private Residence Relief (2023) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
If there is no gain then UK Residents don’t need to report under the 60 day rules. Non UK Residents need to report even if its a loss.
Reporting capital gains
UK Residents need to use Report and pay your Capital Gains Tax: If you sold a property in the UK on or after 6 April 2020 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Even if they want an Agent to report for them they at least need to start the process and get an X reference to pass to their Agent/Accountant. The Agent can use the X reference in the Agent Gateway to generate a link for the client to accept to appoint them as Agent.
You only need one X reference/Property Account even if you have multiple property disposals.
The gain also need to be reported on the their Self Assessment Return showing the tax already paid.
Non UK Residents need to use HMRC: Structured Email (tax.service.gov.uk)
Problem Areas
Personal Representatives – Trusts can’t create accounts – the executors register and tick to report for someone else
Estimates – if the estimates are unreasonably low, HMRC will put in their own figures and charge interest
Overpayments – need to go back and change the figures
steve@bicknells.net
