Business advice
and accounting

Our purpose is to help you on your journey as you grow. Learn more about our history, partners and purpose.

Our purpose is to help you on your journey as you grow. Learn more about our history, partners and purpose.

Your partners for Business Service and Advisory, Taxation, Audit, Fraud and Risk.

Whatever your business, industry or family office, from local or international institutions we bring extensive expertise.

We're one team with a purpose and passion for what we do. Learn about our culture and career opportunities available to you.

Uncovering insights, trends and inspiration to help business grow in an ever-changing world.

We are always looking for ways to engage and give back to our community.

Telephone: +612 9283 1666
Email: admin@esvgroup.com.au

Level 13, 68 York Street,
Sydney NSW 2000

Why us

Our purpose is to help you on your journey as you grow. Learn more about our history, partners and purpose.

What we do

Your partners for Business Service and Advisory, Taxation, Audit, Fraud and Risk.

Who do we help

Whatever your business, industry or family office, from local or international institutions we bring extensive expertise.

Work with us

We're one team with a purpose and passion for what we do. Learn about our culture and career opportunities available to you.

What we think

Uncovering insights, trends and inspiration to help business grow in an ever-changing world.

Working to give back

We are always looking for ways to engage and give back to our community.

Contact us

Telephone: +612 9283 1666
Email: admin@esvgroup.com.au

Level 13, 68 York Street,
Sydney NSW 2000

Rental Deductions a ‘Top Priority’ says ATO as it doubles audits

17 June 2019

by David Prichard

The Australian Tax Office (ATO) has warned rental property owners to “ensure their claims are correct this tax time” as it will double the number of audits scrutinising rental deductions. From July 2017, for most taxpayers, travel expenses relating to inspecting, maintaining or collecting rent for a residential investment property became non-deductible.  These changes, together with the ATO finding that 9 out of 10 rental deductions contain errors, has resulted in the ATO advising that detecting overclaims and non-compliance will be a top priority this financial year.

As a result of the identified over claims, the ATO plans to more than double the number of in-depth audits to 4500 taxpayers. In 2017-18, more than $47 billon was claimed in deductions with the ATO handing out $1.3 million in taxpayer penalties. As part of the increased ATO scrutiny, the ATO will be focusing on “over-claimed interest, capital works claimed as repairs, incorrect apportionment of expenses for holiday homes let out to others, and omitted income from accommodation sharing”.

The increased focus is part of the ATO’s overall crackdown on overclaiming and non-compliance by taxpayers. In recent articles, we’ve covered the R&D audits and how Australia’s federal agencies are now using advanced data-matching technology to weed out non-compliance. In this instance, the ATO will be using a range of third party information including data from financial institutions, property transactions, rental bonds from all states and territories, online accommodation booking platforms, utilities, tolls and even social media data to determine claim eligibility.

What should you do?

It’s vital that taxpayers clearly track and declare any money earned as income as well as any deductions for private use. The ATO suggests considering the following key issues:

  • Ensure loan interest is correctly claimed – while a portion of loan interest can be claimed as a deduction, loan money used for personal use cannot be claimed.
  • Understanding the difference between capital works and repairs – While repairs or maintenance are deductible immediately, improvements or renovations are categorised as capital works and are deductible over several years.
  • Ensure records are maintained – failure to produce records and receipts is the number one reason for disallowing a claim or incurring a penalty.
  • Holiday homes – holiday homes give rise to common errors.  They are considered private assets for which you generally cannot claim deductions or where deductions are limited to actual usage periods.
  • Damaged or destroyed properties – the treatment of insurance payouts and your costs in rebuilding, repairing or replacing the assets can give rise to complex issues which result in incorrect claims.

Should you require further information to the above or have any questions about how this may impact you, please do not hesitate to contact your engagement partner on 02 9283 1666.