Chartered Accountant - HMO Investor - Straight Talker

Hello... I'm Clive Cass

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I’m Clive — a qualified Chartered Accountant and hands-on property investor with over 30 years’ experience helping people make smarter financial decisions and build long-term wealth.

My day-to-day work is split between:

Investing in high-yield HMO properties across the North West and Yorkshire

Advising landlords, builders, and small businesses on tax, accounting and compliance

And I love both.

Because I believe smart property investing and smart tax planning go hand-in-hand — and most people don’t get either right.

What

Let me work with you on property, tax or accountancy and I am sure I can make a measurable difference to your wealth as you look to achieve your financial freedom through property investment.

Why

Work with me in the knowledge that I myself do exactly what I will advise you to do. So if it is good enough for me, I am confident it will be good enough for you.

When & How

I work full time and will be very responsive to all your communications. I always get things done and you will always work directly with me. We can work via email or in person and I am always happy to answer all of your questions.

I’ve built a growing portfolio of Family Buy-to-Lets (FBTLs) and HMOs, carefully selected and professionally managed for strong, consistent returns.

I don’t chase “get rich quick” deals. I invest in quality housing, in real locations, for long-term income.

Most importantly: I invest using the same strategies I recommend to my clients.
If I wouldn’t do it with my own money, I won’t suggest it with yours.

Property Investing with a Numbers-First Mindset

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Tax & Accountancy That Actually Makes Sense

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I run a long-standing accountancy practice working mainly with:

Property investors & landlords

Builders and tradespeople

Self-employed professionals

Whether you need help with Making Tax Digital (MTD), claiming allowable property expenses, or just understanding your books — I make it simple, accurate, and jargon-free.

As a landlord myself, I understand your challenges better than most accountants do.

I’m not a flashy guru or a corporate firm. If we work together, you’ll speak to me directly — not a bot, I'm not a call centre.

I return calls. I answer questions. And I care about long-term partnerships, not quick wins.

If you’re looking for:

A hands-free HMO investment

Expert tax advice tailored to landlords

Someone who actually does what they preach

…then let’s talk.

A Personal, Straightforward Approach

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Elite Broker Blogs

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Business expenses if you don't charge a market rent

Tax| Property| Accounting

June 26, 2026•2 min read

Business expenses if you don't charge a market rent

There are several reasons why property owners might decide to charge a rent below market value or even rent for free.

However, this means that the owner will have more limitations on what expenses they can claim.

What is a ‘market rent’?

HMRC do not have the power to tell a landlord how much to charge for rent. However, HMRC may ask for written confirmation if they believe you are claiming for expenses that you are not eligible to claim.

Although there are no set amounts, a standard rent amount can easily be found on rental websites such as Zoopla and Rightmove.

If HMRC request confirmation of market rent, it will need to be signed by a local letting agency.

Wholly and exclusively rule

When determining which expenses you can deduct, it is important to first check if the expense is used wholly and exclusively for business purposes. If so, then it can likely be deducted from the rent you charge the tenant.

If you rent a property for less than the market rate, you can only deduct expenses up to the value of the rent received.

Dual-purpose expenditure

In most cases, expenses that are not wholly and exclusively for business use cannot be deducted. However, there are a few exceptions such as electricity, in which you can claim the business proportion of the expense.

Rent free

It is very common for property owners to rent a room or property to relatives or tenants rent free. However, this comes with risks. Since there is no rent to offset the expenses, all expenses will be fully incurred by the landlord.

Relatives & friends

When you rent to relatives, it is unlikely that the expenses of your property are incurred wholly and exclusively for business purposes. In this case, you will not be able to claim the expenses against the rent received.

A relative or friend can ‘house sit’ your property between lettings as long as your property is available to let and you are actively seeking tenants. If you meet these conditions, you can deduct expenditure in the normal way.

Timing of expenses

When a property is likely to be occupied rent free or at below-market rates, the landlord should seek to incur expenses related to their property while it is being let at a market rate. This will protect them from losing out on any potential deductions.

property investingAccounting for Landlords

Clive Cass

Clive Cass is a Chartered Accountant & Property Investor who shares his insights into the world of Property Investing. Read along with him as he breaks-down all the facts, information and legislation into easy to follow blog posts.

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