Guides
Making Tax Digital, in plain English.
Short guides for UK landlords and sole traders, checked against HMRC guidance. Start at the beginning, or search for what you need.
New to MTD? Start here
All guides
- Getting startedWhat is MTD for Income Tax?Making Tax Digital explained without the jargon: who's in and what you send.3 min read
- Getting startedHMRC signed me up for MTD. What now?What the letter means, what to check, and your first steps.2 min read
- Getting startedMTD at £30,000: what changes in April 2027Who's in the next wave, how qualifying income works, and what to do first.2 min read
- Getting startedMaking Tax Digital for landlordsThresholds, records, expenses and quarterly updates for property income.3 min read
- Doing your updatesHow to send an MTD quarterly updateWhat's in it, the categories, and how to fix a mistake.2 min read
- Doing your updatesMTD without spreadsheetsMeet the digital records rules straight from your bank statement.2 min read
- Doing your updatesLetting agent fees and MTDYour bank shows rent after fees. How to report the full rent and the fees.2 min read
- Doing your updatesThe MTD final declaration, explainedWhat replaces your tax return, what goes in it, and when it's due.2 min read
- Deadlines and penaltiesMTD deadlinesStart dates by income and every quarterly due date.2 min read
- Deadlines and penaltiesMTD penalties, explainedNo points in your first year of updates, then a £200 penalty at four points.2 min read
- Joint ownersMTD for jointly owned propertyCouples and co-owners: whose income counts and who sends what.2 min read
- Choosing softwareHow to choose MTD software for landlordsThe five kinds of product and the checks to make first.2 min read
- Choosing softwareCan your MTD software file your tax return?About a third can't yet. How to check yours on HMRC's list.2 min read
- Choosing softwareThe cheapest MTD software, comparedYearly costs from each provider's own site, side by side.2 min read
- Choosing softwareFree MTD software: the honest versionWhere the free options are and what the catch usually is.2 min read
- Choosing softwareXero vs FreeAgent vs QuartaxFull bookkeeping or just the update: which suits you.2 min read
- Choosing softwareQuartax vs HammockBank feeds and per-property accounts, or just the update.2 min read
- Deadlines and penaltiesWhat are the MTD deadlines for landlords?Landlords must know MTD deadlines for quarterly updates and final declarations.2 min read