There is no single best product. On 18 October 2026, 13 free products on HMRC's finder were ready for both UK property and employment income, which in our reading suits most accidental landlords. Check what each free version covers.
An accidental landlord usually lets one home, such as a flat kept after moving in with a partner, while working for an employer. Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD) means keeping digital records of the rent and costs, sending HMRC four quarterly updates a year, and filing your tax return from compatible software. HMRC does not recommend any product.
Your landlord deadlines, handled
A compliance calendar for each property, with reminders before every certificate and your register deadline. Landlord Tax adds your Making Tax Digital figures and tax return, prepared for you to send.
Are you ready for Making Tax Digital? Check your start date and what to sort first. It’s free and takes a minute.
When you need it at all
Your salary does not count towards the MTD threshold. Only rent and any self-employed turnover, before expenses, count as qualifying income. MTD started on 6 April 2026 if that was over £50,000 in 2024-25. Otherwise it starts on 6 April 2027 if it was over £30,000 in 2025-26, or on 6 April 2028 if it was over £20,000 in 2026-27. The table assumes rent is your only qualifying income and you were not in an earlier group.
| Monthly rent from one let, all year | Yearly rent | MTD from |
|---|---|---|
| £1,500 | £18,000 | Not yet: under £20,000 |
| £1,750 | £21,000 | 6 April 2028, if this was 2026-27's rent |
| £2,600 | £31,200 | 6 April 2027, if this was 2025-26's rent |
If the house is jointly owned, only your share of the rent counts. In our reading, many accidental landlords are under £20,000 and not in MTD yet. The sign-up guide for accidental landlords has more examples, including part-year lets.
Why employment matters on the finder
GOV.UK says HMRC adds the employment (PAYE) income it holds to your MTD tax return, and you must check it before you submit. It also says your software must let you report all your other income sources. HMRC's finder shows, for each product, whether it is ready for employment income.
Of 132 products for individuals that were ready for UK property on 18 October 2026, 40 also listed employment as ready now, and 13 of those had a free version. In our reading, a product without it may send your updates but leave you stuck at the tax return if your job details need adding or correcting.
The 13 free versions
Each product below showed a free version, UK property and employment (PAYE) as ready now on its finder page on 18 October 2026. We counted what the finder states; we have not tested them, and a free version can have limits.
| Product | Type on the finder | Phone app |
|---|---|---|
| AATAX | Records and bridging | No |
| ANNA Self Assessment | Records and bridging | Yes |
| Clear Books Free | Creates records | Yes |
| FileThat! | Records and bridging | No |
| FreeAgent (free with Mettle, NatWest and RBS) | Creates records | Yes |
| My Tax Digital (Free) | Records and bridging | No |
| Pandle | Records and bridging | Yes |
| Quarterwise | Records and bridging | No |
| RentalBux Free | Records and bridging | Yes |
| TaxBridge UK MTD | Records and bridging | No |
| TaxHeaven | Records and bridging | No |
| TaxUpdates | Bridging only | No |
| Zoho | Creates records | Yes |
All 13 also listed UK savings interest and UK dividends as ready. Our MTD software census has the full counts, and the free landlord software guide covers property limits and other catches.
What this means for you
For one let, the work is small: record each rent payment in full, each cost with its date, and any letting agent fees as an expense, then send four updates and the tax return. If your letting agent sends statements, check they match what reached your bank. Pick software before your first quarter starts, and try it on a month of real rent.
If you would rather hand it over, our Landlord Tax plan is £15 a month including VAT for 1 to 2 properties in England. Our tax plans start once our HMRC registrations are complete. Until then you can join the waitlist, and no payment is taken.
Steps to choose your software
- Use the free MTD check to see whether, and when, MTD starts for you.
- On HMRC's finder, filter for UK property, employment and a free version if you want one.
- Read the vendor's own page: does the free version send the tax return, and how many properties does it allow?
- If you own the home jointly, check it records your share.
- Sign up for MTD with HMRC and connect the software before your first update is due.
There are more guides in the landlord section.
Hold your place on the landlord waitlist
We’ll email you when Landlord Tax starts, with the founding-member price while it lasts. No payment is taken. Landlord Compliance is open now.
Questions people ask
Does my salary count towards the MTD threshold?
No. Qualifying income is self-employed and property income before expenses. Your salary is left out of the test, though it still goes on your tax return.
Do I need software that handles my job as well as my rent?
GOV.UK says HMRC adds employment (PAYE) income it holds to your MTD tax return, and you must check it. It also says you use your software to make any corrections before you submit, so in our reading it should be listed as ready for employment.
Is free software enough for one let?
Often, if your affairs are simple. GOV.UK says free products are available for those with simple tax affairs, but there may be limits. Check the free version sends the tax return as well as the quarterly updates.
My letting agent deducts fees before paying me. What do I record?
The rent in full as income, and the agent's fees as an expense. In our reading, GOV.UK's net-income guidance applies: ask for the full amount before deductions, and record it and your expenses.
What if I sell the house or move back in?
Stopping letting is a change of circumstances. GOV.UK says to tell HMRC through your HMRC online account. You still send updates up to the quarter it stopped, and that year's tax return.
Sources
- Find software that works with Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (GOV.UK software finder, product pages read 18 October 2026)
- Choose the right software for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (GOV.UK)
- Use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: Submit your tax return (GOV.UK)
- Find out if and when you need to use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (GOV.UK)
- Work out your qualifying income for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (GOV.UK)
- Use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: Create digital records (GOV.UK)
- Use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: Add or cease income sources (GOV.UK)
This is general information to help you understand the rules. It isn't tailored to your circumstances, so check your own position before acting on it.
Righto Landlord is a trading name of NJG Consultancy Ltd, registered in England and Wales, company number 16095900. Registered office: Jubilee House, East Beach, Lytham St Annes, FY8 5FT.
What happens next
- Use the free Making Tax Digital checker to see your own start date and deadlines.
- See what Righto Landlord does for you, and join the waitlist.
- Questions about this page? Email hello@rightolandlord.co.uk.