Landlords
5 min read
· Updated
July 2026
What landlords can and can't claim
Repairs, mortgage interest, agent fees and the costs HMRC won't let you deduct.
Most of the money you spend running a rental property comes off your taxable rent. The trick is knowing which side of the line each cost falls.
Costs you can deduct
Letting agent and management fees, landlord insurance, ground rent and service charges, repairs and maintenance, gas safety checks, accountancy fees, and replacing furniture or appliances like for like in a furnished let.
Mortgage interest
If you own the property personally, mortgage interest isn't deducted from your rent. Instead you get a tax credit worth 20% of the interest. Higher-rate taxpayers feel this most.
What you can't claim
Improvements, such as an extension or a new kitchen that's better than the old one, aren't deductible against rent. Keep the receipts anyway: they reduce your capital gains tax when you sell.
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This guide is general information, correct when it was last updated. Tax rules change and every situation is different, so please don’t act on it without talking to an accountant.
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