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England · HMRC · Let Property Campaign · Voluntary Disclosure · Tax

HMRC Let Property Campaign UK 2026 — Landlord Voluntary Disclosure Guide

How to use the HMRC Let Property Campaign to disclose undeclared rental income in 2026: the three-stage disclosure process, how penalties are reduced for unprompted disclosures, time limits, and what to do if HMRC contacts you first.

9 min readUpdated 21 May 2026Last reviewed: 17 May 2026hmrctax-complianceincome-taxdisclosure

Who the Let Property Campaign applies to

  • Individual landlords letting residential property in the UK who have not declared rental income on their self-assessment tax returns
  • Individual landlords letting overseas residential property who have not declared the overseas income on their UK tax returns
  • Landlords who started letting after 5 April 2013 and have never registered for self-assessment
  • The Campaign does NOT apply to companies (limited companies use the Corporate Disclosure Facility) or commercial property landlords

The three-stage disclosure process

  • Step 1 — Notify: register on HMRC's Let Property Campaign online notification form. This starts a 90-day clock for completing the full disclosure
  • Step 2 — Calculate: work out all undisclosed rental income, income tax owed, statutory interest from the original due date, and the appropriate penalty
  • Step 3 — Disclose and pay: submit the online disclosure form and make a single payment covering tax, interest, and penalty
  • Once notified, HMRC will generally not open a compliance investigation while the disclosure is being prepared

Penalties and why coming forward first matters

  • Unprompted disclosure (you contact HMRC first): penalty for careless omissions typically 0–30% of tax owed. Fully cooperative disclosures often attract the lower end
  • Prompted disclosure (HMRC contacts you first): penalty floor increases to 15% for careless omissions and 35% for deliberate — higher and with less room to negotiate
  • HMRC investigation: highest penalties and HMRC controls the process
  • Interest on unpaid tax accrues from the original 31 January due date regardless of disclosure route — this element is unavoidable
  • Time limits: innocent error 4 years, careless 6 years, deliberate 20 years
Act before HMRC contacts you

HMRC's 'Connect' system cross-references Land Registry records, letting agent data, and bank information against self-assessment returns. Landlords who have not declared rental income are increasingly identified. Coming forward under the Let Property Campaign before being contacted gives the best penalty outcome.

Frequently asked questions

What is the HMRC Let Property Campaign?+

The Let Property Campaign is HMRC's standing voluntary disclosure facility for individual landlords who have not declared all their rental income. Coming forward before HMRC contacts you (an 'unprompted' disclosure) significantly reduces the penalties compared to being investigated.

How far back does the HMRC Let Property Campaign go?+

For careless omissions, HMRC can assess up to 6 years. For deliberate omissions, 20 years. For innocent errors, 4 years. The Campaign accepts disclosures covering up to 20 years where appropriate.

Templates recommended in this guide

Found a gap or disagree with something?

Reply to any LetSafe email or write to Richard@letsafeuk.co.uk. We rewrite guides when we get something wrong, the sooner we hear, the sooner we fix it.

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