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Rental bond data-matching program

Objectives and purpose of our rental bond data-matching program.

Last updated 9 January 2025

Program objectives

Our data-matching programs help us to administer the tax and superannuation systems and maintain community confidence in the integrity of these systems.

The objectives of the rental bond data-matching program are to:

  • identify and educate individuals and businesses who may be failing to meet their registration or lodgment obligations and help them:
    • lodge their income tax returns
    • correctly report assessable income from a rental property in their individual income tax return
    • correctly report associated rental deductions in their individual income tax return
    • comply with capital gains tax obligations for properties used to derive rental income
  • gain insights to help develop and implement strategies, which may include educational or compliance activities, for individuals and businesses who lease or let real property
  • promote voluntary compliance and increase community confidence in the integrity of the tax and super systems.

Why we look at rental bond data

The rental bond data-matching program will allow us to identify and address tax risks, including:

  • failure to lodge – taxpayers with a rental property may fail to lodge a tax return and their rental property schedule on or before the relevant due date
  • omitted or incorrect reporting of income – taxpayers with a rental property may omit or incorrectly report income and deductions in their rental property schedules and associated income tax return labels
  • omitted or incorrect reporting of capital gains tax (CGT) – taxpayers with a rental property may omit or incorrectly report cost base elements which are used to determine the net capital gain or loss on a rental property used to generate income.
  • non-compliance with foreign investment laws – foreign residents owning residential property need to meet conditions such as:
    • those imposed on foreign investment approvals
    • use of a dwelling
    • vacancy fees.

For more information on your tax obligations when owning a rental property see:

 

QC65695