Frequently Asked Questions

HMRC usually posts your UTR within 10 working days of registering, or up to 21 days if you're based overseas.

After that, you'll receive a separate activation code for your online HMRC account, which can take a few more days.

Because you need your UTR before we can file on your behalf, it's worth registering as early as possible — ideally well before the October registration deadline.

If your UTR is taking longer than expected, you can call HMRC's Self Assessment helpline to follow up.

A UTR (Unique Taxpayer Reference) is a 10-digit number that HMRC uses to identify you in the Self Assessment system. You get one when you register, and it stays the same for the rest of your life.

You need your UTR to:

• File your Self Assessment return
• Contact HMRC about your tax affairs
• Appoint an accountant to act on your behalf

To register and get a UTR, go to GOV.UK and search 'register for Self Assessment'. Once registered, HMRC sends your UTR by post within about 10 working days.

It depends on why you're registering.

Use the CWF1 form if you're self-employed as a sole trader — this also registers you for Class 2 and Class 4 National Insurance at the same time.

Use the SA1 form if you need to file for other reasons, such as rental income, Capital Gains Tax, the High Income Child Benefit Charge, or dividend income.

If you're registering online via the HMRC website, the system asks a few questions and routes you to the right form automatically.

If you're unsure, message us on live chat.

Yes. If you're self-employed, you can download and post form CWF1. If you have other untaxed income (rental, dividends, capital gains), use form SA1 instead. Both are available on GOV.UK.

That said, the online route through the HMRC website is faster and means you'll get your UTR more quickly.

If you're not sure which form applies to you, message us on live chat.

If you sell a UK residential property that isn't fully covered by Private Residence Relief and there's CGT to pay, you must report the sale and pay the tax within 60 days of the completion date.

This applies to: second homes, buy-to-lets, inherited properties you didn't live in, and any property where PRR only partially applies.

The 60-day clock starts from the completion date — not the date you exchanged contracts. It's 60 calendar days, so weekends and bank holidays count.

Even if your gain is small or you think you might not owe much, you still need to report within 60 days if there's any taxable gain at all. This is completely separate from your annual Self Assessment return.

Missing the deadline results in an automatic late filing penalty from HMRC.

If you've recently completed a property sale, message us on live chat as soon as possible so we can get started within the window.

Only one property can be your main home at any one time for CGT purposes.

Your main home is covered by Private Residence Relief and is generally exempt from CGT when you sell it. The other property — whether it's a second home, a buy-to-let, or a property you've inherited — won't benefit from PRR and any gain on sale will be subject to CGT.

If you own two properties and haven't formally nominated one as your main residence, HMRC looks at the facts: where you spend most of your time, where you're registered to vote, where your post goes, and so on.

You can formally nominate your main residence by writing to HMRC within 2 years of first owning two homes at the same time.

If you've recently acquired a second property or are planning to sell one, message us on live chat or book a call with us — it's worth getting advice on your specific situation.

Yes. Before we calculate your CGT liability, we check every available relief to make sure your bill is as low as it legally can be.

The main ones we look at are:

Private Residence Relief (PRR): if the property was your main home for any part of your ownership, this can significantly reduce or eliminate the taxable gain.

Lettings Relief: in limited circumstances, if you lived in the property at the same time as letting part of it, you may be entitled to additional relief.

The Annual Exempt Amount: the first £3,000 of gains each year is tax-free, and for joint owners each person gets their own allowance.

Allowable costs: purchase costs, legal and estate agent fees, stamp duty, and the cost of any improvements to the property can all be deducted from the gain.

We do all of this as part of the service — you don't need to work any of it out yourself.

Private Residence Relief (PRR) is the tax relief that exempts the gain on your main home from Capital Gains Tax.

If you lived in the property as your only or main residence for the entire time you owned it, the full gain is exempt and you don't need to report the sale.

PRR also covers the final 9 months of ownership automatically, even if you've already moved out by then. So if you moved out and rented the property before selling, the last 9 months still count as a period of residence for relief purposes.

PRR is reduced proportionally for any periods where the property wasn't your main home — for example, if you owned it for 10 years but only lived in it for 7, roughly 70% of the gain (plus the final 9 months) would be exempt.

If you're not sure whether PRR applies to your sale in full or in part, message us on live chat — it's one of the most common areas where people either over or underpay.