Lendlord has found 17.7 percent of landlords in its analysis recorded annual rental income above £50,000 as the next Making Tax Digital for Income Tax quarterly update approaches on 7 November.
The analysis is based on portfolio records held on the platform as of 30 September 2026. The current MTD rules apply to eligible individuals with qualifying annual income above £50,000, with the threshold due to fall to £30,000 from April 2027 and £20,000 from April 2028.
The 7 November date is the second quarterly update under the new regime, so landlords in scope need digital records that are already up to date on rents received, expenses paid and bank transactions reconciled.
Second quarterly update due on 7 November
Under Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, landlords in scope must keep digital records and submit quarterly updates of property income and expenses to HMRC through recognised software, rather than filing a single annual return. Lendlord said its MTD Hub lets landlords connect to HMRC and send quarterly property updates direct from the platform, with bank feeds, transaction checks and deadline reminders to keep records in order.
Qualifying income for MTD includes combined gross income from property and self-employment before expenses are taken off. That test means some landlords with rental income below the headline threshold may still need to comply once self-employment income is added, a point HMRC has stressed in its guidance for the first years of the regime. Landlords can read more in HMRC figures reveal 275,000 yet to join MTD.
MTD for Income Tax went live in April 2026, so 2026 to 2027 is the first full year of quarterly reporting for those in scope. HMRC has offered first-year penalty relief for late quarterly updates as landlords adjust, but interest still applies on late-paid tax and the underlying record-keeping duties stand. For owners with several lets or a mix of rental and trade income, the risk is not the single 7 November filing but drift through the year that leaves the January and April updates short of clean data.
Lower thresholds to pull more landlords into scope
From April 2027 the £30,000 threshold will bring a second wave of landlords into quarterly reporting, followed by those above £20,000 from April 2028. Lendlord said bringing rent, costs and bank data together through the year makes each quarterly submission simpler and gives owners a clearer view of portfolio performance. The full findings and method are set out on the Lendlord MTD landlord income data page.
Aviram Shahar, co-founder and chief executive of Lendlord, said more than one in six landlords in the sample sat above the current £50,000 line. “More than one in six landlords in our analysis recorded annual rental income above £50,000. With the next quarterly deadline approaching and lower thresholds bringing more landlords into scope over the next two years, digital reporting is becoming an essential part of running a property business,” he said.
Shahar added: “The practical challenge is keeping records organised throughout the year. Bringing rental income, expenses and bank transactions together makes quarterly reporting more manageable and gives landlords a clearer picture of their portfolio’s performance.” Photo: Lendlord / Square 1 Media.
This follows Landlord Knowledge’s report last month that almost half of landlords caught by MTD did not know they were in scope, based on the August landlord survey. The latest Lendlord figure points the same way – a sizeable minority are already over the line for 2026, with many more set to join as thresholds drop in the next two years. Landlords who missed that earlier detail can read August: half of MTD landlords do not know they are in it.
What this means for landlords
- If you are over £50,000 this year: check your qualifying income now and make sure your 7 November quarterly update is filed from HMRC-recognised software with reconciled records.
- Watch for: combined property and self-employment income counting toward the threshold, plus the drop to £30,000 in April 2027 and £20,000 in April 2028 which will pull more portfolios into quarterly reporting.
- Bottom line: keep rents, expenses and bank feeds linked through the year so each quarterly update is a check, not a rebuild.
Editor’s view
The deadline matters more than the 17.7 percent figure. With the second quarterly update due within days and lower thresholds already set, landlords who sort digital records now will avoid a painful catch-up when the net widens in April.
Author: Editorial Team – UK landlord & buy-to-let news, policy, and finance
Published: 2 November 2026
Sources: Lendlord, HMRC
Related reading: HMRC figures reveal 275,000 yet to join MTD
