MTD records for dog walkers, groomers and pet sitters: what to keep and what to ask for each quarter
For bookkeepers and accountants with clients who are self-employed dog walkers, groomers and pet sitters. Under Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, each income and expense needs a digital record of the amount, the date and the category, and each quarterly update covers the tax year so far (Create digital records (MTD for Income Tax)). Here is what that means for dog walkers, groomers and pet sitters, and a request you can copy.
What they should keep
- Payments from each customer, including booking apps
- Grooming products and equipment
- Licence and insurance costs
- Van or car costs, or business miles
- Training and first-aid courses
- Rent for a grooming unit, if any
What to ask them for each quarter
- Customer payments and booking-app statements for the quarter
- Product, equipment and insurance receipts
- Your mileage or van costs
- Any unit rent or licence fees
Watch-outs for dog walkers, groomers and pet sitters
- For a car or van, simplified expenses let them claim a flat rate per business mile instead of actual running costs: 55p a mile for the first 10,000 miles and 25p after, for the 2026 to 2027 tax year (45p before 6 April 2026). Either way, they need a log of business miles. (Simplified expenses: vehicles)
- If gross trading income from all their trades is £1,000 or less a year, the trading allowance means it may not need declaring; above that, the £1,000 allowance can be deducted instead of actual expenses. (Tax-free allowances on property and trading income)
Copy a request for this client
Subject: Your records for [quarter], by [ask-by date] please Hi [first name], Your Making Tax Digital quarterly update for [period start] to [period end] is due to HMRC on [deadline]. Could you send me these by [ask-by date]: - Customer payments and booking-app statements for the quarter - Product, equipment and insurance receipts - Your mileage or van costs - Any unit rent or licence fees Photos and PDFs are fine. If nothing changed this quarter, just reply "nothing to report". Send them here: [your link] Thanks, [your name]
Hi [first name], it's [your name]. Your MTD update ([dates]) is due [deadline]. Please send customer payments, booking-app statements, product and insurance receipts and your mileage by [ask-by date]: [your link]. Thanks!
Quarterly deadlines: 7 August, 7 November, 7 February and 7 May (Send quarterly updates (MTD for Income Tax)). Deadline calculator · General request templates
Sources: GOV.UK, Simplified expenses: vehicles, Tax-free allowances on property and trading income, Create digital records (MTD for Income Tax), Send quarterly updates (MTD for Income Tax) (read November 2026). A practical checklist, not tax advice.
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