The £1,000 property allowance is a helpful for individuals with small amounts of property income. The allowance provides a tax exemption of up to £1,000 a year against gross property income, meaning some landlords may not need to report their income to HMRC.
The allowance applies to income from land or property, such as renting out a driveway or other small property-related income. If your total gross property income for the tax year is £1,000 or less, you will not usually need to tell HMRC or include this income on a tax return, provided you are eligible to use the allowance.
If you own property jointly with others, each person can claim their own £1,000 allowance against their share of the gross rental income. Where property income exceeds £1,000, you will normally need to declare the income and can choose whether to deduct the £1,000 allowance or claim actual allowable expenses. However, you cannot deduct more than the amount of your income to create a loss.
The property allowance cannot be claimed in certain circumstances. For example, it cannot be used where the income is from a property business connected to a company or partnership involving you or someone connected to you. It also cannot be used if you claim the tax claim for residential property finance costs, such as mortgage interest, or if you use the Rent a Room Scheme and deduct actual expenses instead.
