help with principal residence rules

kitty06

I own a house which i rent out as i live-in at my job as a housekeeper. I have owned and rented out the house for 18 months under a private mortgage and do not declare the rent. I want to sell the house soon so i can leave my job and buy a new house for me to move into. What documents do i need in place to show the house as my principal residence? This house is the only property that i own. Currently all my utility bills, bank, electoral register show me living where i work.

Pennywise

kitty06 wrote: »

I own a house which i rent out as i live-in at my job as a housekeeper. I have owned and rented out the house for 18 months under a private mortgage and do not declare the rent. I want to sell the house soon so i can leave my job and buy a new house for me to move into. What documents do i need in place to show the house as my principal residence? This house is the only property that i own. Currently all my utility bills, bank, electoral register show me living where i work.

If you've never lived in it as your private residence, then it isn't and you're not eligible for private residence relief nor lettings relief. You'll have to move into it and live there for it to be your PPR - there is no fixed timescale, but HMRC do expect a reasonable period of time. Your main problem is proving you actually lived in it - getting paperwork isn't enough I'm afraid.

kitty06

Thanks, do you know what sort of time period is acceptable?