How to Claim Depreciation on Previous Owners’ Renovations

Many investors know that they are eligible to claim depreciation of building works they have carried out to a property. However, some don’t know that they can also claim depreciation of renovations done by former owners of the property. The claimable depreciation will depend on the property purchase date and extent of renovation took place. To claim depreciation, you need to consider a few factors like ATO depreciation rates, 2017 budget, etc. The 2017 budget is important as your claims depend on whether you purchased the property before or after the budget.

What if You Have Purchased a Property Before 2017 Budget?

Things won’t be complicated if you happened to purchase the property before the 2017 crucial budget. In such a scenario, you are eligible to make claims under Division 43 and Division 40 of the Income Tax Assessment Act. Division 43 covers the capital works undertaken by the former owner to the concerned property. It may also include all the renovation works such as a bathroom, kitchen restoration, building extensions, etc. It will also include any work carried out for building structure improvement. In other words, you can claim renovation work on the roof or walls done by the previous owner. You can also consult property depreciation consultants to make the process easier.

What if You Have Purchased a Property After 2017 Budget?

In this scenario, you are likely to face some complications. You will have to check the amount of renovation that took place or whether the previous owner did any renovation. Budget 2017 introduced the term “new residential premises”. You will get more details of the new residential premises in Goods and Services Tax or GST Act.

Importance of GST

You will come across the term “new residential premises” under section 40 to 75 of the GST Act. It means that the premises which have not been sold or rented out as a residential property prior to your purchase won’t cause any problems as the term covers new properties.

The Act further elaborates such premises as those that underwent “substantial renovation”. Such renovations mean removal or replacement of the entire building. And, installation of a new bathroom or kitchen won’t get inclusion under the substantial renovation.

How It Will Impact You?

If your investment property does not come into the category of substantial renovations, you can’t claim Division 40 depreciation. A new tool on its own is not sufficient to form a substantial renovation.

If the building underwent sufficient renovation to fall in the category of “new residential premises”, you can claim for Division 43 and Divison 40 work. In such a situation, a quantity surveyor will check the amount of renovation work done on the building. They will create a timeline of the building and create a house depreciation report. The report will cover the renovation work, cost, and extent of the renovation. You can use the report to check if your building comes in the category of “new residential premises” or not.

Conclusion:

It’s important for you to find out the exact date of your property construction. This will help you find out what earlier renovations you can claim depreciation. You can also seek the help of a quantity surveyor to develop a detailed report of property depreciation tax deduction