Can I claim expenses when rental property is vacant

By Alicia Human · Updated

Pritesh

Pritesh said:
30 July 2025 at 14:23

My rental property was not occupied for a period of 2 months (October and November), while I was trying to find a new tenant. Can I claim expenses (interest, levies, rates, insurance) while not earning rental income.
TaxTim Alicia

TaxTim Alicia said:
4 August 2025 at 9:23

Yes, you can claim expenses for the two months when the property was vacant, as long as you were actively seeking new tenants.
When there is a temporary break in rental income and you are genuinely trying to find new tenants, you are still allowed to include the property-related expenses in your tax return.
However, it's important to note that you can only claim expenses if you are actively seeking rental income.
If you are not making a genuine effort to rent out the property, these expenses would be considered personal and would not be tax-deductible.
The key is demonstrating that you are trying to generate rental income during the period of vacancy.