CH14550 - Record Keeping: How long must records be retained for: Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax: Person not carrying on a trade, profession or business
A person who does not carry on a trade, profession or business must retain their records, see CH11200, until the latest of
- the first anniversary of 31 January next following the year of assessment. For example, the records for the year ending 5 April 2009 must be kept at least until 31 January 2011
- the completion of any enquiry into the matters to which the records relate. For example, if your enquiry was closed by way of a final closure notice on 24 September 2011 the records must be kept until at least that date, and
- the end of the day on which the enquiry window closes. For a return filed on time this is 12 months after the date it was filed. For a return filed late, it is the first anniversary of the next quarter day falling after the return was filed. »Ê¹ÚÌåÓýappre is no difference between paper and online returns. You look at the date the return was filed.
We may give a person a notice to make a return for a tax year or period after the date in 1 above has passed. »Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp person must keep any records that they still have at that time until the later of the dates in 2 or 3 above.
For the purposes of the record keeping requirement, ‘tradeâ€� includes the letting of property. »Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp person must therefore retain the records relating to the letting for the periods set out in CH14530.
If the records relate to the acquisition or improvement of a capital asset, see CH14650.
We can charge a penalty if a person fails to keep or retain records, see EM4650.