16/04/2025
The Furnished Holiday Letting (FHL) regime has been abolished effective 6 April 2025.
Previously, married couples or civil partners could split FHL income in any proportion, regardless of actual ownership shares.​
Now, income from jointly owned properties will default to a 50:50 tax split unless unequal beneficial ownership is declared.​
To maintain an unequal income split, couples must:​
1. Hold the property as tenants in common with unequal beneficial interests.​
2. Jointly submit Form 17 to HMRC within 60 days of signing.
3. Note: Form 17 cannot be backdated and only affects income from the date of the last signature.
Example Scenario
Mark and Jess, a married couple, own an FHL property equally.​
They previously split profits 90:10 in favour of Paul, a basic rate taxpayer.​
Post-abolition, without action, profits will be taxed 50:50, potentially increasing their overall tax liability.​
To retain the 90:10 split, they must adjust their ownership shares and submit Form 17 accordingly.​
📣 Takeaway
If you’re a married couple or civil partners with jointly owned FHL properties and wish to maintain an unequal income split, review your ownership structure and consider submitting Form 17 to HMRC promptly.