Tax on rental income: is it normal not to hear from the Revenue?

Ditzy_Mitzy

Hello all,

I let a flat and, as one should, declare the income to the Revenue.  In previous years that process has entailed the submission of a paper tax return (cannot file online owing to a corrupt account that HMRC's technical dept. cannot fix - their advice was to do it the old fashioned way) and then waiting for acknowledgement and a bill.  I have, up to now, always worked so rent was received in addition to employment income and was 100% taxable on the basis of the personal allowance being allocated to my wages.

Last year, 2022/23, was slightly different on the basis that I stopped working half-way through  and spent about six months in full time education, so was without employment income for half the financial year.  Rent was received as normal, but was my only source of earnings in the period.  I submitted a tax return for 2022/23 in September; sent by Recorded Delivery and photocopy kept for reasons of being pernickety.  I've heard nothing since.

I know that I shouldn't owe any tax on the rent income; I don't charge much and wasn't in a high paying occupation prior to leaving regular employment.  By my calculations I had about six months' personal allowance left, owing to no work, which slightly exceeded the total annual income from the flat.  Everything should balance, therefore.

The Revenue appear to agree, on the basis that I have recently started working again and have been put on a nil tax code for the remainder of this financial year; that, too, is correct on the assumption that no personal allowance has been used for 2023/24.  

My question, then, is: is it normal to hear nothing from Self Assessment if no tax is owed?  I've not had any reminders since filing and the tax coding appears correct, so am satisfied that they have received the form.  

Thank you.

_Penny_Dreadful

Ditzy_Mitzy said:

Hello all,

I let a flat and, as one should, declare the income to the Revenue.  In previous years that process has entailed the submission of a paper tax return (cannot file online owing to a corrupt account that HMRC's technical dept. cannot fix - their advice was to do it the old fashioned way) and then waiting for acknowledgement and a bill.  I have, up to now, always worked so rent was received in addition to employment income and was 100% taxable on the basis of the personal allowance being allocated to my wages.

Last year, 2022/23, was slightly different on the basis that I stopped working half-way through  and spent about six months in full time education, so was without employment income for half the financial year.  Rent was received as normal, but was my only source of earnings in the period.  I submitted a tax return for 2022/23 in September; sent by Recorded Delivery and photocopy kept for reasons of being pernickety.  I've heard nothing since.

I know that I shouldn't owe any tax on the rent income; I don't charge much and wasn't in a high paying occupation prior to leaving regular employment.  By my calculations I had about six months' personal allowance left, owing to no work, which slightly exceeded the total annual income from the flat.  Everything should balance, therefore.

The Revenue appear to agree, on the basis that I have recently started working again and have been put on a nil tax code for the remainder of this financial year; that, too, is correct on the assumption that no personal allowance has been used for 2023/24.  

My question, then, is: is it normal to hear nothing from Self Assessment if no tax is owed?  I've not had any reminders since filing and the tax coding appears correct, so am satisfied that they have received the form.  

Thank you.

You should still receive your tax calculation for the year 2022/23 confirming you owe no tax.

sheramber

I would think your return has not been processed yet if it was only submitted in September.