Replacing carpets, painting and electrical fixes - allowable expenses?

needabed

Been reading many forums/websites and still unsure what I can add to tax return as an expense.

I had the carpets replaced. I had the place repainted. The electrician replaced an old fuse box, gas meter bonding and fixed non working lights to pass EICR.

Is it capital expenditure or an expense I can claim?

Thanks

Slithery

That depends. Why do you want to know?

CGT? Rental allowance? VAT?

needabed

Slithery said:

That depends. Why do you want to know?

CGT? Rental allowance? VAT?

Rental allowance, these are things I paid for before renting out the property.

AlexMac

I've claimed all those things as routine expenses offset against income when submitting my Self Assessment tax return pages on Rental property; so I wouldn't even think they could be classed as Capital improvements.  The key bit of the words you used is "re;..."  (REplaced, REwired, REdecorated...)

Not a big deal however, as I've been submitting (scrupulously honest!) returns for 25 years without a hint of a challenge or audit...

Snow_Angel

Gov.uk has a list of allowable expenses for landlords: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/income-tax-when-you-rent-out-a-property-working-out-your-rental-income#allow-expense 

There's also a link to details of what would be classed as capital expenditure.

Slithery

needabed said:

...these are things I paid for before renting out the property.

You can only claim allowable expenses when you're actually running a business, not before...

anselld

Pre-commencement expenses can be claimed when the business starts (ie the first let) .. 
https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/property-income-manual/pim2505

The items you describe seem to be expense rather than capital so should be claimable at the appropriate time.

flashg67

They are exactly what I claimed for on my last 2 rental properties 

TripleH

Slithery said:

needabed said:

...these are things I paid for before renting out the property.

You can only claim allowable expenses when you're actually running a business, not before...

It depends on when you formally start to run the business though.. which is the grey area

dimbo61

They are all allowable expenses which you need to make before renting.
Same with GSC if you have Gas in the rental property.
You also need an EPC of E or better.
You can even replace single glazed wooden windows with UPVC double glazed and claim this as an expense NOT an improvement.