Gideon Metzger

Super guarantee contributions for the December 2022 quarter

A reminder to employers that their December 2022 superannuation guarantee (‘SG’) contributions were due by 28 January 2023.

Do not forget the two changes to SG that commenced on 1 July 2022:

–  the rate increased from 10% to 10.5%

–  employees no longer need to earn $450 per month to be eligible.

Employers now need to make super contributions for all eligible employees, regardless of how much they were paid – their earnings amount is not relevant. However, employees who are under 18 still need to work more than 30 hours in a week to be eligible.

Electric vehicle FBT exemption legislation is now law

Legislation to make certain electric vehicles exempt from Fringe Benefits Tax (‘FBT’) has now been enacted into law.

Certain zero or low emissions vehicles provided as a car benefit on or after 1 July 2022, can be exempt from FBT.

For this exemption to apply various criteria need to be satisfied. 

The car needs to have been both held and used for the first time by the employer on or after 1 July 2022 and it cannot have been subject to the luxury car tax when it was purchased. 

For the 2023 income year, to qualify for this exemption, the car needs to cost less than the luxury car tax threshold for fuel efficient vehicles of $84,916.

A vehicle is a zero or low emissions vehicle if it satisfies both of these conditions:

  It is a:

• battery electric vehicle; or

• hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle; or

•   plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.

• It is a car designed to carry a load of less than 1 tonne and fewer than 9 passengers (including the driver).

Motorcycles and scooters are not cars for FBT purposes and do not qualify for the exemption, even if they are electric.

Please note that in relation to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, there is a specific limitation on the FBT exemption.

From 1 April 2025, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle will not be considered a zero or low emissions vehicle under FBT law. 

There are special provisions allowing the exemption to continue when a plug-in vehicle was provided as an exempt benefit under an agreement entered into before 1 April 2025 that continues after this date.

Although the private use of an eligible electric car is exempt from FBT, an employer still needs to include the notional value of the benefit when working out whether an employee has a reportable fringe benefits amount (‘RFBA’).

An employee has an RFBA if the total taxable value of certain fringe benefits provided to them (or their associate) is more than $2,000 in an FBT year.  The RFBA must be reported through Single Touch Payroll or on the employee’s payment summary.

The amount of an RFBA reported for an employee is not added to an employee’s taxable income for determining income tax and Medicare Levy liabilities. 

However, it is added to an employee’s taxable income for calculating Medicare Levy Surcharge liability, and is included in income tests for family assistance, child support assessments, and some other government benefits and obligations.

Further eligibility age change for downsizer contributions

In another recent legislative change, the eligibility age to make a downsizer contribution into superannuation has been reduced to 55 from 1 January 2023.

This further reduces the downsizer eligibility age, which changed from 65 to 60 from 1 July 2022.

From 1 January 2023, eligible individuals aged 55 years or older can choose to make a downsizer contribution into their super fund of up to $300,000 per person ($600,000 per couple) from the proceeds of selling their home that has been held for at least 10 years and qualifies for at least a partial main residence exemption.

There are no changes to the remaining eligibility criteria.

Key dates for downsizer contributions:

–   Eligible individuals aged 55 years or older can make a downsizer contribution from 1 January 2023.

–   For any downsizer contributions made between 1 July 2022 and 31 December 2022, eligible individuals must be aged 60 years or older at the time of making their contribution.

–   Prior to 1 July 2022, the eligibility age was 65 years and over.

Other important information to consider for 55-59 year olds:

–   Individuals have 90 days from receiving the sale proceeds of their home to make a downsizer contribution.
This means if an individual receives the proceeds of sale prior to 1 January 2023, they can make their contribution after 1 January 2023, so long as they are still making it within 90 days of receiving the proceeds.

–   If 1 January 2023 falls outside of their 90 day window to make a downsizer contribution, they will not be eligible. It is unlikely the ATO would grant an extension of time in these circumstances.

Unlike most other contributions into superannuation, there is no upper age limit for being eligible to make a downsizer contribution.  Even a 95 year could make a downsizer contribution, and there is no need to satisfy the work test!

Builder unable to obtain refund of incorrectly charged GST

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal has held that a builder was unable to receive a refund of GST incorrectly charged on the sale of a residential premises that had been rented for just over five years since construction was complete.

The taxpayer claimed the GST charged on a unit was charged in error, on the basis that the sale was actually an input taxed supply.  Accordingly, the taxpayer sought a refund of the GST previously remitted to the ATO on the unit.

For residential premises to fall outside the definition of ‘new residential premises’ and therefore be input taxed rather than a taxable supply, it needs to meet the requirements of S.40-75(2)(a) of the GST Act.  

Broadly, to meet the requirements of this section there needs to have been a continuous five-year period since the premises first become residential premises, during which the premises have “only been used for making supplies that are input taxed” (i.e., being used as a rental property).

Unfortunately for the builder, this requirement was not satisfied because the unit was also marketed for sale a few months before the completion of the five-year period since the issue of the certificate of occupancy.  

A lesson to be learnt here is that any time a residential premises is both rented and on the market for sale it does not meet the requirements to count towards the five-year continuous period that it has “only been used for making supplies that are input taxed.” 

Please Note: Many of the comments in this publication are general in nature and anyone intending to apply the information to practical circumstances should seek professional advice to independently verify their interpretation and the information’s applicability to their particular circumstances.

ATO warning to SMSFs: “Paying the price for non-compliance”

There are various courses of action available to the ATO when trustees of self-managed super funds (‘SMSFs’) have not complied with the super laws, including applying administrative penalties.

A number of factors determine the amount of the administrative penalty, including:

–    the type of contravention;

–      when it occurred; and

–      the number of penalty units that apply.

For example, if an SMSF contravenes a provision in relation to borrowings during the 2021/22 financial year, the ATO may apply a penalty of 60 penalty units and, at $222 per unit for that year, this would result in the SMSF trustee having to pay $13,320.  This could be even more if there are multiple contraventions.

Editor: Note that the Government recently introduced a Bill to increase the value of a penalty unit for Commonwealth offences committed on or after 1 January 2023 from $222 to $275.

The ATO imposed total administrative penalties of around $3.4 million on SMSF trustees last year for contraventions such as trustees illegally accessing super benefits, loans, or financial assistance given to members.

Also, just because a trustee receives an administrative penalty doesn’t mean the ATO won’t undertake any other compliance action, such as issuing a notice of non-compliance or disqualifying the relevant entity as a trustee.

ATO’s record-keeping tips

The ATO has reminded taxpayers that they should understand the record-keeping requirements for their business and keep accurate and complete records as they occur, as this should help them avoid penalties that may apply and reduce the possibility of the ATO denying their expense claims.

The following are some of the ATO’s top tips to help businesses get it right and avoid record-keeping errors (based on common record-keeping errors the ATO sees):

–       Keep accurate records of all cash and electronic transactions.

–     Reconcile cash and EFTPOS sales regularly (by ensuring payments recorded internally match external records) and enter the amounts into the main business accounting software system.

–       Check for mistakes if things don’t add up.

–       For expenses that are for both business and private use, work out and record the business portion accurately.

–      If the taxpayer has used trading stock for private purposes, remember to account for the stock as if the business sold it, and include the value in the business’s assessable income.

–       Don’t use estimates to prepare tax returns and business activity statements (‘BASs’).

–      If claiming credits for GST, set aside the GST in a separate ledger account to make record-keeping and calculations easier.

–       Most records must generally be kept for at least 5 years — from when the record was prepared or obtained, or the transaction or related acts were completed, whichever is later.  Records relating to the calculation of losses may need to be kept longer, depending on when that loss is deducted (or offset against a capital gain).

–       Accurate and detailed records must also be kept when paying contractors to provide certain services on behalf of the business (so the business can easily complete its taxable payments annual report at the end of each year).

–      Use the ATO’s Record-keeping evaluation tool to find out how well the business is currently keeping its records.

If businesses aren’t sure how this information applies to their situation, the ATO recommends they ask their registered tax or BAS agent, or contact the ATO for help.  The ATO says it will help businesses get back on track if they make an error.

Input tax credits denied due to lodging BASs late

The Administrative Appeal Tribunal (‘AAT’) has held that a taxpayer could not claim $91,239 of input tax credits (‘ITCs’) at least partly because it lodged the relevant BASs more than 4 years too late.

Specifically, the GST Act operates such that, if an extension of time to lodge a BAS has not been granted prior to the expiry of 4 years after the day on which it was required to be given to the ATO, the entitlement to ITCs immediately ceases. 

The AAT also noted that there is no discretion to circumvent this part of the GST Act, and the ATO cannot provide further time to lodge a BAS retrospectivelyoutside of the relevant 4 year period.

It did not matter that the taxpayer was (for example) involved in a dispute with a franchisor nor that they were impacted by lockdown restrictions.

Therefore, the taxpayer was no longer entitled to claim ITCs in relation to the BASs lodged by the taxpayer 4 years after they were required to have been given (and was also denied other ITCs for BASs that were lodged within the required 4 year period, as a substantial amount of the ITCs claimed remained unsubstantiated by a valid tax invoice).

Chef spending most of a year on cruise ships still a ‘resident’

The AAT has also held that a taxpayer, an Australian chef with over 20 years’ experience both in Australia and overseas, was an Australian resident for taxation purposes in the 2016 income year.

During that year, he spent only 86 days in Australia, being the period prior to him leaving Australia to commence employment with a cruise ship company, and a period during which he visited his family between deployments.

However, the AAT noted that he had no intention that any new place of residence be indefinite, and he did not become a resident of a new place. 

Importantly, his ‘domicile’ for tax purposes (being Australia) did not change (and the AAT stated that “a ship cannot be a domicile”).

Requesting stapled super fund details for new employees

The ATO is reminding employers that, when they have new employees that have not provided them with their choice of super fund, super contributions should be made into:

–      the employee’s stapled super fund; or

–      the employer’s nominated account (but only if the ATO advises that the employee does not have a stapled super fund).

Editor: A stapled super fund is an employee’s existing super account which is linked, or ‘stapled’, to them and follows them as they change jobs.

In December 2022, the ATO is releasing a solution that enables employer software and payroll products to request stapled super funds.  That is, stapled super enabled software will allow the employer to request stapled super details from within their business software, so they will no longer have to request them separately via ATO online services.

Employers should contact their software provider to find out if their software solution will incorporate the stapled super functionality.

The ATO also encourages employers using the ‘bulk request process’ to begin discussions with their software providers, as the ATO’s current bulk request process will be decommissioned from mid-2023.

Please Note: Many of the comments in this publication are general in nature and anyone intending to apply the information to practical circumstances should seek professional advice to independently verify their interpretation and the information’s applicability to their particular circumstances.

Director ID deadline is approaching

The Government has launched an awareness campaign to help company directors get their director identification number (‘director ID’) as the 30 November deadline approaches.

A director ID is a unique 15‑digit identifier that a company director will apply for once and keep forever.  Director IDs are administered by the Australian Business Registry Services (‘ABRS’), which is managed by the ATO.

All directors of companies registered with ASIC will need a director ID and must apply by the 30 November deadline (although directors of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporations may have additional time to apply).

Some people may not realise they are directors, so the campaign is targeting those that run small businesses, self‑managed superannuation funds, charities, not‑for‑profits, and even some sporting clubs.

The fastest way to apply is online at abrs.gov.au, and the director ID will be issued instantly once the application is complete.  It is free to apply and directors must apply themselves, as they are required to verify their identity (and it is this “robust identification process” that will help prevent the use of false and fraudulent director identities).

More information about director IDs, including who must apply, is available on the ABRS website.

Editor: Feel free to contact our office if you need more information about this but, as noted above, we cannot actually make the application for you.

Why are credits and refunds being offset?

The ATO has reached out to small businesses who may have recently received a letter advising that they have a debt on hold and any credits or refunds would be offset against this debt.

As a result, such a small business may find that their refund or credit is less than expected.

Editor: The ATO has advised that this process of offsetting refunds or credits temporarily paused due to the pandemic and its financial impact on taxpayers.  However, the ATO has restarted offsetting refunds and credits to pay off debts on hold since June 2022.

The ATO also sent out ‘awareness letters’ to some not-for-profits and individuals in September 2022, similarly advising them they had a debt on hold and any credits or refunds would be offset against this debt.

Taxpayers can use Online services for business to search for debts that were previously put on hold and not included in their account balance.

A debt on hold remains payable and collection action may recommence if:

–    the taxpayer’s circumstances change, and the ATO has reason to believe they are now able to pay the debt;

–     the taxpayer agrees to pay their debt; or

–     the taxpayer has a refund or credit balance which will automatically be offset to their debt on hold.

ATO advice for SMSFs thinking about investing in crypto assets

The ATO recommends that trustees of self-managed super funds (‘SMSFs’) thinking about investing in crypto assets should seek professional advice from a licensed financial adviser.

There are organisations who offer trustees help to set up a fund or use their existing fund to invest in crypto assets.  However, the ATO notes that some of these organisations are not licensed to provide financial advice, which means the usual consumer protections and access to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (‘AFCA’) are not available for using these services.

There are many things to consider before deciding to invest in crypto assets, so it’s important to get it right, especially since trustees are ultimately responsible for ensuring the investment complies with the super and tax laws.

When investing in crypto assets, trustees must ensure it is allowed under the fund’s trust deed, is made in accordance with the fund’s investment strategy, and the trustee has considered the level of investment risk given the highly volatile nature of the investment.

From a regulatory perspective it’s important that:

–      The crypto assets are owned by the fund and are held separately from the trustee’s own personal or business assets.  This means the fund must have its own digital wallet, separate to any used by the trustee for personal or business purposes.

–      The investment is valued at market value in line with the ATO’s valuation guidelines.

–      Any crypto assets that a member or related party hold personally are not sold to the fund or transferred to the fund as a contribution.

–      The investment is consistent with the sole purpose test, and does not involve the giving of financial assistance to a member.

Check that holiday employees get the right super

The ATO is reminding employers that the holiday season is fast approaching, and that their holiday casuals may now be eligible for super.

From 1 July 2022, employers need to pay super for employees at a rate of 10.5%, regardless of how much they are paid, because the $450-per-month threshold for super guarantee (‘SG’) eligibility has been removed.

This change doesn’t affect other eligibility requirements for SG.  In particular, workers who are under 18 still need to work more than 30 hours in a week to be eligible.

For example, Anish is a 17-year-old employee working a job at a hotel over the holiday season. Anish works 32 hours in a week at the hotel and earns $800 before tax.  He also works 5 hours at his local café, earning $150.

As Anish worked more than 30 hours in one week at the hotel, his employer will need to pay him super on the $800 earned.  However, as Anish works less than 30 hours a week at the café and is under 18, he is not entitled to super from this employer.

The ATO recommends that employers check their payroll and accounting systems are up to date so they are correctly calculating their employees’ SG payments, and that registered tax agents and BAS agents can help with their tax and other obligations.

Optus data breach

The ATO is aware of the recent Optus data breach and that people who have been affected might be concerned about their personal data, and is assuring people that ATO systems have not been affected by the Optus data breach.

The ATO recommends that anyone who thinks they have been affected by the Optus data breach should contact Optus Customer Service on 13 39 37.

Information for those caught up in the data breach is available from the Australian Cyber and Security Centre at cyber.gov.au.

The ATO also reminds the community that it is important to always be vigilant for suspicious activity.  The following tips can help protect accounts and keep personal information safe:

–      Use multi-factor authentication for accounts where possible.

–     Be careful when clicking on links and providing personal information.

–     Make sure contact details are up to date when using online services.

Please Note: Many of the comments in this publication are general in nature and anyone intending to apply the information to practical circumstances should seek professional advice to independently verify their interpretation and the information’s applicability to their particular circumstances.

Banking business income to a private account

The ATO has stated that it has “no concerns” with business owners banking their business takings or other sales in private accounts, but that this may become an issue when this income isn’t reported.

Therefore, the ATO notes that a good way to avoid this problem is to establish a separate business bank account and only deposit sales and other business income into this account, as this can help with record keeping and monitoring the business’s cash flow.

The ATO uses many tools to identify income earned and to check if it matches income reported, and reminds taxpayers that business income includes all sales, whether they’re cash or electronic (for example, internet sales), and they must all be reported on the business’s tax return (as well as any earnings for services the business provides).

Editor: If you are unsure about what income you need to declare, feel free to contact our office.

‘Talking tax’ with new workers

The ATO is reminding employers that have taken on new employees that those employees can complete a TFN declaration through ATO online services, and that this is an easy way for them to provide both their employer and the ATO with the information needed.

If a new employee has a myGov account linked to the ATO, they can:

–    access ATO online services;

–     go to the ‘Employment’ menu; and

–     select ‘New employment’ and complete the form.

This sends the TFN declaration details straight to the ATO, so the employer doesn’t have to.

Employees will need their employer’s ABN to complete the form and, once they’ve submitted it, they need to print it and give their employer the summary of their tax details so the employer can input the data into their system.

If an employer’s payroll software can link to the online commencement forms, it will automatically receive any new employees’ information from the ATO, saving them time spent otherwise entering the information manually.  

Employers can also use the New employment form to collect a range of information contained in other forms, and employees can use it to authorise variations to the amount to be withheld from their pay for tax or the Medicare levy, or to advise of their choice of super fund.

They can also use it to update their tax circumstances with their employer; for example, if their residency status has changed or they are claiming the tax-free threshold from a different employer.

However, employers can continue to use their current processes when preferred, including providing a paper TFN declaration where employees can’t create a myGov account or don’t have access to the internet.

How the myGov update affects taxpayers

Clients using myGov will see that it has recently been updated with a new look and more features.

When signed in to myGov, clients might receive notifications through ‘Payments and claims’ from other government services, such as Centrelink.

However, the ATO has stated that it will not communicate using this feature.  Instead, the ATO will continue to send messages to the myGov Inbox, and to tax agents on behalf of their clients, if that’s their communication preference.

Therefore, clients don’t need to do anything different, and can still:

–     find myGov at the same website address (i.e., my.gov.au);

–      sign in using their current sign-in details; and

–      have access to all their linked services, including the ATO.

Input tax credits denied due to lodging BASs late

The AAT has held that a partnership’s entitlement to $16,361 of input tax credits claimed for the quarterly periods of 1 July 2012 to 31 March 2017 had ceased by the time the associated BASs were lodged with the ATO on 21 June 2021, and therefore the ATO did not need to pay the taxpayer a refund.

The operation of the GST Act means that, unless an extension of time to lodge a BAS has been granted prior to the expiry of 4 years after the day on which it was required to be given to the ATO, the entitlement to input tax credits immediately ceases.

The ATO has no discretion to get around this.

Valuing fund assets for an SMSF’s annual return

Editor: The ATO has provided the following reminder and general advice for SMSF trustees regarding their obligations to value the assets annually.

One of many responsibilities trustees have when managing an SMSF is valuing the fund’s assets at market value. 

This must be done every income year, so the ATO knows the SMSF has complied with super laws.

The market value of an asset is the amount someone could be reasonably expected to pay if the asset was for sale. 

Each year, the asset valuations will be reviewed by the fund’s approved SMSF auditor as part of the annual audit prior to lodgment of the SMSF’s annual return (‘SAR’).  The auditor will check that assets have been valued correctly, and assess and document whether the basis for the valuation is appropriate given the nature of the asset.

Trustees are reminded to get their valuations done before they go to the auditor, as this will streamline the process and avoid delays.  It is also the trustees’ responsibility to provide objective and supportable evidence to the auditor for the valuation of the fund’s assets, including all relevant documents requested by the auditor. 

Failure to do so could result in a delay in auditing the fund and potential late lodgment of the fund’s annual return (and could also result in a contravention if the auditor believes mistakes have been made).

The ATO says trustees should “start researching now” to find who can value the fund’s assets and what type of evidence is needed to support the valuation, as this can take time.  In some instances, the law requires valuations to be undertaken by a qualified, independent valuer. 

Super guarantee contribution due date for September 2022 quarter

The due date for employers to make super guarantee contributions for their employees for the September 2022 quarter is 28 October 2022.

Varying PAYG instalments

The ATO is reminding taxpayers that they can vary their pay as you go (‘PAYG’) instalments if they think the amount they pay now will be more or less than their expected tax liability for the year, by lodging a variation through myGov or Online services for business.

Instalments for those who are PAYG instalment amount payers have been increased by the gross domestic product (‘GDP’) adjustment factor of 2% for the 2022/23 income year.

Please Note: Many of the comments in this publication are general in nature and anyone intending to apply the information to practical circumstances should seek professional advice to independently verify their interpretation and the information’s applicability to their particular circumstances.

More COVID-19 business grants are now tax-free

The Federal Government has expanded the list of State and Territory COVID-19 grant programs that may be tax-free to eligible businesses.

A State or Territory Government COVID-19 grant payment will generally be tax-free if:

1.      the payment is received under a grant program that is formally declared to be an eligible program;

2.      the recipient carried on a business and had an aggregated turnover of less than $50 million in the income year the payment was received, or in the previous income year; and

3.      the payment was received in the 2021 or 2022 income year.

The following Victorian and ACT COVID-19 grant programs have recently been declared as eligible grant programs for these purposes:

–      Business Cost Assistance Program Round Two – Top Up (Victoria).

–      Business Cost Assistance Program Round Three (Victoria).

–      Business Cost Assistance Program Round Four (Victoria).

–      Business Cost Assistance Program Round Four – Construction (Victoria).

–      Business Cost Assistance Program Round Five (Victoria).

–      Commercial Landlord Hardship Fund 3 (Victoria).

–      Impacted Public Event Support Program Round Two (Victoria).

–      Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021 – Top Up Payments (Victoria).

–      Live Performance Support Program (Presenters) Round Two (Victoria).

–      Live Performance Support Program (Suppliers) Round Two (Victoria).

–      HOMEFRONT 3 (ACT).

ATO reminder about appointing an SMSF auditor

The ATO is reminding trustees of self-managed super funds (‘SMSFs’) that they need to appoint an approved SMSF auditor no later than 45 days before the lodgment of their fund’s SMSF annual return (for example, for the 2022 income year).

In particular, the ATO says:

“Don’t risk approaching an auditor the day before you need to lodge as it will result in an overdue lodgment.  

Approved SMSF auditors are an important part of your lodgment and reporting obligations.

They review your fund’s financial statements and make sure you’re complying with super law.”

Importantly, an audit is required even if no contributions or payments were made to or from the SMSF in the financial year.

Super comparison tool updated

The YourSuper comparison tool helps individuals compare MySuper products and choose a super fund that meets their needs. 

It ranks the performance of these products by fees and net returns.

Each year, the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (‘APRA’) assesses the performance of each MySuper product, and this information is displayed in the comparison tool.  Updated information for the 2022/23 year is now available.

The comparison tool provides one of the following results for each MySuper product:

–      Performing – the product has met or exceeded the performance test benchmark.

–      Underperforming – the product has not met the performance test benchmark.

–      Not assessed – the product had less than five years of performance history and has not been rated by APRA.

Individuals who are members of underperforming MySuper products will receive correspondence to notify them of the underperforming status.

Individuals can access a personalised version of the tool which allows them to view and compare their existing MySuper products by doing the following:

–      Log in to ATO online services through myGov.

–      Go to the ‘Super’ drop-down menu and select ‘Information’, then select ‘YourSuper comparison’.

To access a non-personalised version of the tool (without logging into myGov), visit ato.gov.au/yoursuper

Small business tax incentives back on the table

The Albanese Government has confirmed its commitment to implementing two tax incentives aimed at supporting small businesses to train and upskill employees, and improve their digital and tech capacity.

The Technology Investment Boost and the Skills and Training Boost were announced in the 29 March 2022 Federal Budget but remain unlegislated. 

Small businesses with an annual turnover of less than $50 million will be able to claim a ‘bonus’ 20% deduction for eligible expenditure on:

–      external training of employees until 30 June 2024; and

–      the uptake of digital technologies until 30 June 2023.

The incentives will be backdated to 29 March 2022.

Editor:  These incentives are not yet law.  If you have spent, or are considering spending, on training or digital technology, please contact our office for an update.

Rental properties and second-hand depreciating assets

The ATO is reminding taxpayers that have a residential rental property, to take care when making claims for ‘second-hand depreciating assets’ used in their properties.

In most cases, these are items that existed in the taxpayer’s property when they purchased it, or were in their private residence (which they later rented out), such as:

–      flooring and window coverings;

–      air conditioners, washing machines, alarm systems, spas, pool pumps; and

–      items used for both the rental property and the taxpayer’s own home.

Since 1 July 2017, taxpayers generally cannot claim the decline in value of second-hand depreciating assets (some limited exceptions do apply). 

However, this rule does not apply to a property that was rented out before this date, or if it is newly built or substantially renovated (conditions apply).

If you have a residential rental property, to help us get your claim right, please answer the following:

–      When did you purchase the property?

–      Was it a new or existing build?

–      Did you live in the property before renting it out?

–      When did you start renting the property?

–      Was the asset already in the rental property when you bought it?

–      Is the property used for business purposes?

Please Note: Many of the comments in this publication are general in nature and anyone intending to apply the information to practical circumstances should seek professional advice to independently verify their interpretation and the information’s applicability to their particular circumstances.