MTD for ITSA: How to market your practice to landlords

How will Making Tax Digital for Income Tax affect landlords?

From April 2026, landlords with annual business or property income over £50,000 must comply with the new Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD for ITSA) rules. This includes using MTD-compatible software to keep and submit digital records, including quarterly updates, and a Final Declaration.

Ensure you're up to speed with MTD for ITSA for landlords

MTD for ITSA is a big change for both you and your property clients. Read Xero’s guide to Making Tax Digital for landlords to learn more about what it means in practical terms — including who is affected and what the new obligations are.

Establish your MTD offering for landlords

While the transition to MTD for ITSA will present some challenges, it also offers a great opportunity to grow your practice. Many landlords will be seeking advice on how to comply with the new rules. By familiarising yourself with landlords’ key pain points, you can position yourself to provide the right support and services, attracting new clients and building stronger relationships with existing ones. Here’s an idea of what to focus on:

1. Property accounting and bookkeeping expertise

Accounting and bookkeeping services for landlords can be more complex than for sole traders because there are a wide range of landlord business types and clients, including those with multiple, joint, or inherited properties.

This is a good time to promote any specific property expertise in your marketing – including experience managing large portfolios or complex property tax matters. Refresh your knowledge of property income to stay updated on all the rules and regulations that apply to landlords in the UK.

2. Educational support

Landlords will need guidance and support on the MTD for ITSA transition. Some may be aware of the changes and have specific questions, while others might not know how it will affect them yet, or think it only applies to sole traders. You can educate landlords on what MTD means for them, as well as the benefits the changes will bring – including a clearer view of their cash flow.

3. Compliance guidance

Landlords are likely to be looking for advice on how to stay compliant when the MTD for ITSA rules come in — especially as a few elements of compliance are more complex than for sole traders.

For instance, the 2026 MTD for ITSA threshold can be reached if their rental income exceeds £50,000 annually, but also if their sole trader plus rental income is above £50,000. And while some landlords may already need to comply with MTD for VAT, they will still need to sign up for MTD for ITSA too.

From 2027, the same rules will apply to landlords with annual income over £30,000.

MTD for ITSA also means changes to Self Assessment. Landlords meeting the criteria will need to use MTD-compatible software to submit quarterly updates and a Final Declaration.

For landlords with joint-owned properties, there are easements in regards to digital recordkeeping and submitting expenses related to these properties. Landlords must submit separate quarterly updates for their property income and each sole trade business they have. The need for more frequent updates to HMRC means clients could require support every quarter instead of just once a year for their tax returns, and you are in the perfect position to offer this.

Marketing your offering to landlords

Once you’ve established how your practice can help landlords with MTD for ITSA, it’s time to start marketing your offering to potential clients.

1. Highlight MTD for landlords on your website

It could be helpful to have a page on your practice’s website dedicated to MTD support for landlords. From there you can link to guides and resources on everything landlords need to know about MTD for ITSA. Including testimonials from existing landlord clients will show your practice’s expertise in this area.

Spend some time on Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and write content targeting the most commonly searched questions by landlords concerning MTD. This will help boost your online presence and bring potential clients to your website.

2. Tap into your existing landlord clients' network

Word of mouth and customer recommendations are powerful marketing tools. Encourage your existing landlord clients to leave reviews on your Google My Business profile and other popular review sites such as Trustpilot and Yelp. You can also ask clients to recommend your services to other landlords.

3. Find landlords on LinkedIn

Social media platforms like LinkedIn can be a good way of attracting new clients, so make sure your profile is updated to include the specific MTD services you can offer. Post regularly with any MTD updates or news to demonstrate your credibility in this area.

You can also search for and join relevant groups on LinkedIn (for example, search for "landlords UK"). You can then interact and network with landlords in these groups, marketing your MTD for ITSA expertise and services.

4. Join the Xero Partner Programme

Another way to boost your visibility to potential landlord clients is to become a Xero Partner and list your practice on the Xero Advisor Directory. Clients will be able to search for you by the industry you serve or by location, and it’s a great way to market your offering.

Start growing your practice today

Xero has lots of free resources to help you prepare your practice for MTD for ITSA and learn more about what it means for you and your landlord clients. Take a look at our MTD for ITSA resource hub, which includes guides covering everything from how to segment your clients for ITSA to a deep-dive on how Self Assessment is changing.