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RENTAL PROPERTY EXPENSES YOU CAN CLAIM IN YOUR TAX RETUR

If you receive an income from any rental property, you can claim a variety of expenses in your tax return. You can deduct any reasonable expenses you incur to earn rental income but it has to be related to the costs of generating rental income, and must not include costs for private use.
For example, you can claim the cost of insuring your rental property. If you did not own a property or have a property for your personal use, then you would not incur the expense.
There are many rental property expenses. You can claim these rental property expenses in your tax return:

• Advertising for tenants;
• Bank charges;
• Body corporate fees;
• Cleaning;
• Council rates;
• Electricity and gas;
• Gardening and lawn mowing;
• In-house audio/video service charges
• Insurance – building, contents, public liability;
• Interest on loans;
• Land tax;
• Legal expenses;
• Lease costs – preparation, registration, stamp duty;
• Mortgage discharge expenses;
• Pest control;
• Property agent’s fees and commissions;
• Capital Works;
• Quantity surveyor’s fees;
• Repairs and maintenance;
• Secretarial and bookkeeping fees;
• Security patrol fees;
• Servicing costs e.g. servicing a water system;
• Stationery and postage;
• Telephone calls and rental;
• Tax-related expenses;
• Travel and car expenses – rent collection, inspection of property, maintenance of property;
• Water charges.