Updated 8 October 2026. This article was first published in June 2025, when the changes below were due in April 2027. The timetable has since moved, so we have rewritten it with the current position.
If you hold property through a limited company, how do you file its accounts today? For many small companies the answer is Companies House’s free online service. That is changing, but not as soon as was first announced.
What was planned
The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 gave Companies House new powers over how company accounts are filed. The original plan was that from 1 April 2027:
- all accounts would have to be filed through commercial accounting software;
- small companies and micro-entities would have to file a profit and loss account, as larger companies already do;
- small companies would no longer be able to file “abridged” accounts.
What changed
On 28 January 2026 the government confirmed these changes would not come in from April 2027 while the reforms were reviewed, and promised companies at least 21 months’ notice. Companies House has since set the new date: the changes will be introduced in April 2028.
According to Companies House’s own guidance, from that date:
- accounts filed on or after 1 April 2028 must be filed using commercial software, in iXBRL format;
- the web and paper routes close for accounts, but stay open for other statutory filings such as the confirmation statement;
- small companies and micro-entities will file a profit and loss account, with an option to opt out of having it published on the public register (Companies House says it will confirm how the opt-out works);
- small companies will no longer be able to prepare and file abridged accounts.
What this means for property companies
Most buy-to-let SPVs are small or micro companies, so all of this applies to them. In practice it means three things:
- Software. If your accounts are currently filed through Companies House’s online service, you will need software, or an accountant whose software files for you, before your first accounts due after 1 April 2028.
- A profit and loss account. Your accountant already prepares one for Corporation Tax, so the new step is filing it with Companies House. Decide early whether you want to use the opt-out from publication once the details are confirmed.
- No abridged accounts. If you file abridged accounts today, expect slightly fuller accounts from 2028.
None of this needs action today, but it is worth raising at your next year-end so the switch is planned rather than rushed.
Where to check for updates
Companies House publishes the current position on its Changes to UK company law site. Dates have moved once already, so check there before acting on any article, including this one.
Setting up and running a property company properly is part of our Elite Investor Blueprint, alongside introductions to property-specialist accountants. If you would like to talk it through, ask us a question any time.
