Home Questions
Can landlords use a spreadsheet for Making Tax Digital?
Yes. HMRC's guidance says that if you use spreadsheets for your records, you can continue to use them, but you'll still need software that links to your spreadsheets (sometimes called bridging software) to send quarterly updates and submit your tax return. GOV.UK
What HMRC expects
- You create digital records of your property income and expenses, each with the amount, the date, and the category (the same categories as Self Assessment). GOV.UK
- You send quarterly updates every 3 months. These are totals of your income and expenses, and HMRC describes them as summaries, not tax returns. GOV.UK
- You still submit one tax return each year, by 31 January following the end of the tax year. GOV.UK
Where a spreadsheet fits
Your spreadsheet holds the records. Bridging software connects to it and makes your submissions to HMRC. GOV.UK You can only use one software product for each separate submission, so a landlord can't split property quarterly updates across two products. GOV.UK
How Plaincolumn helps
The Plaincolumn Landlord Workbook is a spreadsheet for those records, covering up to 10 UK properties with ownership shares for the 2026/27 and 2027/28 tax years. Exports your records as a CSV file, using HMRC's category names. It doesn't cover foreign property, self-employment income or tax calculations, and it can't submit anything to HMRC.
Try the free sample (1 property, first quarter, free).
Download the free sampleSources
- Use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: before you use this guide (GOV.UK, last updated 2 April 2026; checked 10 October 2026)
- Choose the right software for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (GOV.UK, last updated 13 July 2026; checked 10 October 2026)