You might not think of yourself as a landlord. Maybe you let out a flat you used to live in, or you’re renting out a property you inherited. Maybe you’ve listed a spare room on Airbnb here and there. But if money’s coming in from a property, HMRC wants to know about it—and they’re asking nicely. For now.
That’s what the HMRC Let Property Campaign is all about. It’s HMRC’s version of giving landlords a chance to come clean about any undeclared rental income before things get uncomfortable. It’s not a trap, and it’s not a threat—it’s more like a polite knock at the door. You’ve got the opportunity to disclose what you owe voluntarily, sort it out, and potentially avoid much harsher penalties down the line.
Why is this campaign still going strong, more than a decade after it started? Because it works. And because, frankly, there are a lot of landlords out there—accidental and otherwise—who didn’t even realise they had tax to pay. Some genuinely thought they didn’t earn enough for it to matter. Others didn’t think short-term lets counted. And some just didn’t get around to it.
But HMRC’s become a lot more switched on. They use information from letting agents, tenancy deposit schemes, councils, and even holiday rental sites to work out who might be earning from property. So if you think no one’s noticed your rental income, there’s a decent chance they have.
The beauty of this campaign is that you get to take the lead. You tell HMRC that you’ve got something to declare. You then have 90 days to calculate the tax you owe, including any interest and a (typically lower) penalty. It’s not a full-on audit. It’s more like saying, “Look, I’ve realised I need to fix this,” and being given a straightforward way to do it.
It’s also quicker, cheaper, and a lot less stressful than waiting to be contacted by HMRC. Because once they come to you, the tone changes. They’re not asking anymore—they’re investigating. And that usually means bigger fines and much less sympathy.
So who should be paying attention? Pretty much anyone who’s received rent and hasn’t told HMRC about it. That could include:
- People renting out a buy-to-let or second home
- Airbnb or short-term lets, even for just a few nights
- Those letting out a room in their own home, above the Rent a Room scheme threshold
- Expats or non-residents renting out UK properties
- Inherited properties that are now producing income
The HMRC Let Property Campaign isn’t just about catching people out. It’s about encouraging voluntary disclosure in a way that feels fair and manageable. It’s a second chance—especially for those who didn’t mean to bend the rules.
If you think you might have underpaid tax, don’t panic. Just don’t ignore it. Speak to a tax adviser, gather your paperwork, and get your numbers straight. The earlier you act, the better the outcome is likely to be.
There’s no official deadline for the campaign—it’s been open-ended so far—but that doesn’t mean you’ve got forever. The longer you leave it, the greater the risk that HMRC contacts you first.
So if there’s a niggling doubt in the back of your mind about whether you’ve declared everything you should have, it’s worth taking a closer look now. The knock on the door might be a quiet one—but it’s better to open it yourself.