Selling UK Property as an Overseas Landlord: CGT Reporting, Tax and Taiwan Repatriation Guide 2026

The 60-Day CGT Reporting Window — The Clock Starts at Completion

The moment legal completion on your UK property sale is confirmed, the countdown begins. Under HMRC rules, non-UK residents who dispose of a UK residential property must submit a Non-Resident Capital Gains Tax (NRCGT) return and pay any tax due within 60 days of the completion date — not the date funds arrive in your account.

This single deadline catches many overseas sellers off guard. Solicitors may take several days to transfer net proceeds after completion, and the 60-day clock runs from the legal completion date rather than the date you receive money. Sellers who wait until funds have cleared before thinking about tax have already lost several days of their allowance.

Even if no tax is ultimately owed, you must still file. HMRC requires a return for every non-resident disposal of UK residential property, regardless of whether a gain arises. Failure to file within 60 days triggers automatic late-filing penalties — a fixed penalty of £100 for a return up to six months late, rising to £300 or 5% of any tax due (whichever is greater) for returns over six months late. These penalties apply regardless of your actual tax liability, meaning a seller who makes no profit can still face penalties simply for missing the deadline.

How to file:

1. Create or sign in to your HMRC Capital Gains Tax on UK property account on GOV.UK. You will need a Government Gateway user ID — if you do not have one, allow additional time to set up and verify your identity online.
2. Complete the NRCGT return, entering the sale price, acquisition cost, allowable deductions and any other relevant figures.
3. Pay any tax due through the same portal. HMRC accepts payment by debit card, bank transfer or direct debit.

If you already submit a UK Self Assessment return, you can also report the disposal through that system — but you must still notify HMRC within 60 days using the NRCGT provisional computation. Waiting until the annual SA filing deadline (January 31 of the following year) is not compliant.

IREIS Properties recommends that Taiwan-based property owners who are considering a sale speak with a UK tax adviser at least six months before placing the property on the market. This allows time to understand the expected CGT liability, structure the sale timeline sensibly, and prepare repatriation plans — all before the 60-day countdown starts.

UK Non-Resident CGT: 2025/26 Tax Rates and Calculating the Gain

Once you have confirmed your filing obligation, the next step is understanding how the taxable gain is calculated and which rate applies to your situation.

Tax rates for 2025/26 (per HMRC guidance): Gains on UK residential property disposals by non-residents are taxed at:

• 18% (basic rate) — applied to the portion of the gain that falls within the basic rate income tax band
• 24% (higher rate) — applied to the portion of the gain that exceeds the basic rate threshold

The stacking method: To determine which rate applies, HMRC adds all your UK taxable income for the tax year (for example, gross rental income net of allowable expenses) and then stacks the property gain on top. The gain is taxed from the point your UK income sits — not from zero. If you have no UK income in the year of disposal, the gain starts at zero and is taxed at 18% up to the basic rate threshold of £50,270 (2025/26) and at 24% above that.

Annual Exempt Amount (AEA): From 2024/25 onwards, HMRC has permanently fixed the AEA at £3,000 for individuals and personal representatives. Most non-residents are entitled to the same allowance. The AEA is deducted from the gain before any tax is calculated.

Allowable deductions:

1. Acquisition cost: The original purchase price, including Stamp Duty Land Tax and legal fees paid on purchase. For properties owned before 6 April 2015, the rebased market value at 5 April 2015 replaces the original cost — HMRC normally requires a professional valuation to support this figure.
2. Enhancement expenditure: Capital improvements made during the ownership period, such as a kitchen or bathroom renovation, an extension or the installation of a new heating system. Day-to-day maintenance, redecorating and repairs are not allowable.
3. Disposal costs: Estate agent fees, solicitor fees on the sale, and the cost of an Energy Performance Certificate.

Worked example (illustrative figures only): A property purchased in 2019 for £480,000 (including SDLT and legal costs) is sold in 2026 for £620,000. During the ownership period, the owner spent £25,000 on a permitted extension. Disposal costs (agent and solicitor) total £12,000.

• Gain = £620,000 − £480,000 − £25,000 − £12,000 = £103,000
• Less AEA: £103,000 − £3,000 = £100,000 taxable gain
• Assuming no other UK income: first £50,270 taxed at 18% = £9,049; remaining £49,730 taxed at 24% = £11,935; total CGT ≈ £20,984

This example is for illustration only. Tax rates and allowances are subject to change. Consult a qualified UK tax adviser for your specific position. For a detailed guide on the NRCGT computation, see our non-resident CGT 60-day reporting guide.

Repatriating Sale Proceeds to Taiwan: Step-by-Step Process

Once CGT is filed and the tax settled, your UK solicitor holds the net sale proceeds in their client account pending your instructions. Moving a substantial GBP sum to Taiwan is procedurally straightforward, but advance preparation avoids delays.

The complete timeline from completion to funds in Taiwan:

1. Completion day: The buyer’s completion balance is received into your solicitor’s client account. The solicitor immediately deducts their own professional fees and any outstanding mortgage balance secured on the property.
2. Within 60 days: You (or your UK tax adviser) submit the NRCGT return and pay any tax due via the HMRC online portal.
3. Remittance instruction: Once the HMRC return has been submitted and any tax paid (or confirmed as nil), contact your solicitor with remittance instructions. You may choose to receive funds into a UK bank account first for flexibility, or ask the solicitor to wire proceeds directly to your Taiwanese bank.
4. Funds arrive: SWIFT international wire transfers to Taiwan typically clear within three to five business days of the instruction being processed. Some banks may apply an additional holding period for compliance review on large international receipts.

Information required for an international wire to a Taiwanese bank:

• The recipient bank’s full English name and SWIFT/BIC code (example: Bank of Taiwan — BKTWTWTP; Cathay United Bank — UWCBTWTP; E.SUN Commercial Bank — ESUNTWTP)
• Your complete account number at the Taiwanese bank
• The purpose of the remittance (for example: “UK residential property sale proceeds”)
• Your passport copy and a brief description of the transaction source, which the receiving bank may request for AML compliance purposes

Choosing how to transfer funds: Direct transfer through a UK high-street bank and using a specialist foreign exchange service provider are both common options, and they differ in fee structure and exchange rate. Decisions about the optimal time and method for converting GBP to TWD are best made in consultation with a qualified FX adviser. For a systematic comparison of transfer channels used by Taiwan overseas landlords, see the IREIS Properties guide on cross-border GBP remittances for Taiwan overseas landlords.

Taiwan Tax on the Gain: How the UK-Taiwan DTA Prevents Double Taxation

A near-universal concern among Taiwanese sellers is whether Taiwan will impose a second tax on the same gain after UK CGT has already been paid. The answer is governed by two overlapping rules: Taiwan’s Minimum Income Tax Act and the UK-Taiwan Double Taxation Agreement.

Taiwan’s Minimum Income Tax (AMT — 最低稅負制):

Taiwan’s Income Basic Tax Act includes overseas income — explicitly including gains on overseas real estate — in a concept called Basic Income (基本所得額). The structure works as follows:

• Inclusion threshold: If your total overseas income in the calendar year reaches NTD 1,000,000 or more, the entire overseas income amount (not just the excess) must be added to Basic Income.
• Basic Income exemption: If Basic Income (comprising comprehensive net taxable income, plus overseas income, plus certain other items) does not exceed NTD 7,500,000, no Minimum Income Tax arises. This threshold was increased from NTD 6,700,000 starting from the 2024 income year (filed in 2025).
• Tax rate above the threshold: 20% applies to the portion of Basic Income exceeding NTD 7,500,000. If the Minimum Tax calculated at 20% exceeds the regular income tax otherwise payable, the taxpayer pays the difference as a top-up — they do not pay both in full.

In practical terms: if your UK property gain, when converted to TWD, is modest relative to the exemption thresholds, it is quite possible that no additional Taiwan tax arises even without applying any treaty credit.

The UK-Taiwan Double Taxation Agreement (DTA):

The United Kingdom and Taiwan entered into a formal bilateral tax arrangement in 2002, subsequently amended by a Protocol in 2021, which explicitly covers capital gains tax. Under the DTA, the UK CGT you pay on the disposal of UK property can be claimed as a foreign tax credit against any Taiwan AMT liability calculated on the same gain. This prevents the same economic profit from being subject to full taxation in both jurisdictions.

Practical steps to claim the credit:

1. After filing the NRCGT return, retain the HMRC confirmation reference number and the payment receipt, including the date and sterling amount of tax paid.
2. Ask your Taiwan tax adviser how to convert the UK CGT paid into TWD — typically using the central bank reference rate on the payment date, or an official conversion method they specify.
3. When filing your Taiwan income tax return for the relevant calendar year, present the HMRC documents alongside your other overseas income records. Your adviser will assess whether the AMT thresholds are exceeded and apply the foreign tax credit where applicable.

The interaction between UK CGT, Taiwan AMT and the bilateral DTA depends on your individual income level, whether the property was held in personal name or through a UK company structure, and your rental and expense history during ownership. IREIS Properties recommends engaging qualified advisers in both jurisdictions before the sale completes — not after. For a broader overview of UK property taxation for Taiwan investors, visit our UK tax and legal guides hub.