Vroom Vroom to the Tax Office: Reporting UK Property Sales Faster Than a Charli XCX Track

Selling a property in the UK used to feel like a slow, polite dance—perhaps a foxtrot. You had time, maybe a pot of tea, and a strong denial of your impending capital gains tax obligations. But since 6 April 2020, HMRC has made things a bit more... Charli XCX.

Yes, you read that right. If you’ve sold a UK residential property on or after 6 April 2020 and made a capital gain, you’ve got just 60 days to report it and pay any tax owed. That’s right—60 days. As in two months. As in “Boom Clap,” your holiday home sale just triggered a countdown.

“Unlock It (60 Days Edit)”

This isn’t just a random bureaucratic curveball—it’s part of HMRC’s ongoing rebrand as the bad gal popstar of tax collection. In true Charli XCX fashion, they dropped the beat hard and fast. If your property isn’t your main home and you made a gain, you have 60 days to log into the Capital Gains Tax on UK Property service and let HMRC know what you’ve done, you little real estate maverick.

Forget slow ballads of delay and procrastination. It’s “Speed Drive” time now, baby. You can’t wait until next January’s tax return to deal with this. If you do, you’ll be slapped with late filing penalties faster than you can say “Pop 2.”

“2099... but make it sooner”

Let’s set the scene. You sell your chic little London flat—complete with neon lighting and a millennial pink kettle. It’s the vibe. You’re celebrating, pouring the prosecco, feeling very “1999.” But wait—are you also feeling… tax-compliant?

Because unless that flat was your main residence the whole time (and even then, check your Private Residence Relief), you could owe HMRC a slice of that gain. And they want their slice within 60 days of the sale completing. Otherwise, interest and penalties will start piling up like bonus tracks on a deluxe album.

“Capital Gains? More Like Capital Pains.”

Reporting your property sale to HMRC is now a bit like crafting a Charli XCX song: intense, precise, and preferably done with a synth-heavy background track. You’ll need:

• The date you acquired the property

• The date you sold it

• How much you bought and sold it for

• Any costs and fees you incurred (like estate agents, solicitors, and yes, maybe emotional damage)

  
  

After working out your gain, you’ll subtract your annual exempt amount (which changes each year—just like Charli’s hair color), and then calculate what tax you owe. This can be 18% or 24% depending on your income.

But just remember: ignorance is not a vibe. If you ignore the 60-day rule, HMRC will fine you faster than Charli XCX drops an album out of nowhere. First it's £100, then daily penalties, and soon you’ll be spending more on fines than on “Good Ones” vinyls.

“How I’m Feeling Now (About Taxes)”

To soften the blow, you can pay using the proceeds of the sale, and you don’t have to do it alone. Many tax advisers (and possibly Charli herself, in some parallel universe where she moonlights as an accountant) can help you navigate the form. It’s all online, too—very digital angel popstar of HMRC.

Final Word: “Vroom Vroom” to the Deadline

So let’s wrap this up like a late-night club anthem. If you’ve sold a property in the UK after 6 April 2020, and it’s not your main home, you’ve got 60 days to report and pay your CGT. Not 61. Not “when I feel like it.” Sixty. Like the BPM of a chill Charli XCX bridge before the beat drops.

The moral of the story? When it comes to HMRC, don’t be basic—be Charli. Be on time. Be iconic. Pay your tax.