HMRC to stop sending SA302 for mortgage applications
Today accountants as well as their clients still have to call HMRC for a paper copy of the SA302 form which is the tax calculation for a given tax year.
It's because lenders will not accept the self-serve copy printed from the HMRC online account or the commercial software used to file the self-assessment return, or their commercial software does not print an acceptable version.
HMRC has been in discussion for a while with UK Finance (formerly the Council of Mortgage Lenders) and their members to understand lenders’ requirements and make the necessary changes so that they will accept self-served copies of the tax calculation from the HMRC online account or the commercial software used to file the self-assessment return.
Most lenders have now agreed to accept self-serve copies and HMRC has produced a list of these lenders on its website. It is understood that most major lenders are now on the HMRC list, although some smaller finance firms may decide not to go down this route as the volume of self-employed mortgages is so low. Most commercial software companies have updated their software as well to ensure that it offers a print facility. This means that all agents who have filed a self-assessment return online will be able to print a copy of the tax calculation and/or the Tax Year Overview when it suits them rather than calling HMRC and waiting up to two weeks to receive a copy.
As a consequence, HMRC has confirmed that having made all the changes required to allow agents to self-serve online, they we will no longer be issuing paper copies of the tax calculations directly to agents from 4 September 2017.
If a lender refuses to accept self-serve copies, HMRC suggests that ‘agents check if they are on the List of Lenders who accept them’. You can find the latest copy of the list on the HMRC web site.
