Making Tax Digital is going to change how landlords manage their finances - not just how they file their tax return.

Instead of once-a-year reporting, it becomes an ongoing process.

For landlords, that’s a shift. For letting agents, it’s an opportunity to support their clients and build their relationships further.

In this article, we’ll explore how letting agents can support landlords with MTD.

Most Landlords Aren’t Ready

If you speak to your landlords, you’ll probably hear a mix of:

• “I’ll deal with it later”
• “My accountant will sort it”
• “I’m still using a spreadsheet”

For landlords used to doing everything at Self Assessment time, that’s a change that is causing confusion and anxiety.

In fact, recent data from AlsoAsked (which shows the most common queries from landlords on MTD via Google search), shows there are plenty of questions from the community:

So what can you do to support them?

3 Stages of Support 

Most agents naturally move through three stages of support, to reduce the confusion and anxiety landlords are experiencing.

1. Educate (Help Landlords Understand MTD)

This is the easiest (and most overlooked) step.

Most landlords don’t need a full breakdown of legislation - they just need someone to explain in clear and plain english:

• What MTD is
• When it applies to them
• What they’ll actually need to do differently

That alone is valuable. Most importantly, it builds trust before you introduce any kind of solution.

You don’t need a big campaign. Just use the channels you already have:

• Email newsletters - a short update explaining what’s changing and what to expect
• Webinars - a 20-30 minute walkthrough can answer most common questions in one go
• Blog content - something you can link back to whenever landlords ask “what is MTD?”
• Quick calls for key clients - especially for higher-value landlords who expect a more personal approach

Even a brief conversation can make a big difference. For many landlords, just hearing “this is coming, and here’s what it means for you” is enough to move them from ignoring it to taking it seriously.

2. Empower (Help Them Get Set Up Properly)

Once landlords understand MTD, the next question is always:

“What do I actually need to do?”

This is your chance to step in and simplify things. Agents should be recommending:

• A way to track income and expenses properly
• A HMRC-recognised software they should use (such as Nexus for agents)
• Something their accountant can actually work with

This also helps remove decision fatigue.

3. Streamline (Make It Seamless)

This is where letting agents can offer the most value.

By using a dedicated platform that integrates with your existing landlord management systems, you can create a much more seamless experience for your landlords. Instead of asking them to re-enter or organise data themselves, the information you already manage can flow directly into an MTD-ready format.

That means:

• Less duplication
• Fewer errors
• Minimal effort for the landlord
• Letting agents don't become tax accountants

For agents, it also creates a more scalable way to support multiple clients without increasing workload.

At this stage, you’re no longer just guiding landlords - you’re providing a structured, end-to-end solution that makes MTD feel straightforward.

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How To Communicate This to Landlords (Examples + Templates)

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When communicating MTD to landlords, keep it simple, clear, and focused on what it means for them. Start by explaining what’s changing, reassure them that support is available, and then introduce the easiest next step. Avoid technical language or long explanations - most landlords just want to know what they need to do and how you can help.

Using a mix of short emails, quick conversations, and practical examples works best to build understanding without overwhelming them. We've pulled together a few examples to help:

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Example email from HMRC on MTD

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Example webinar format from HMRC on MTD

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Example email communications you can send to clients for MTD

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Your next step?

As the first quarterly submissions approach, demand for support will increase quickly. Many landlords will leave it late, and when they do, they’ll be looking for simple, practical help - not more information.

Agents who already have a clear process in place will be in the strongest position to step in and support them.

If you’re thinking about how to introduce MTD as a service within your agency, you can learn more about Nexus or book a quick demo with our team.

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