Garden Maintenance? Deductable

[SliderC]

Hi Guys,
I had to buy a mower and line trimmer in order to maintain investment property. Are they deductible?

 

[marg4000]

You won't be able to simply deduct the purchase price. You may be able to deduct some depreciation for the proportion of time used for the IPs.
Marg

 

[beachside]

I overlooked claiming a portion for tools bought to do work on IP, phoned ATO re an alteration to previous years return and was told that the tools could be claimed in full regardless of what they were used for afterwards. Lodged an alteration stating was I was told and it was processes without question. Not sure why tools are considered different to other things like laptops - unless because the tools were bought entirely for the purpose of working on IP and not for part IP and part private use.

 

[Rob G.]

You deduct the proportion used for income.

You might have got confused between an immediate deduction and a depreciation over time.

This depends upon the $300 threshold.

Cheers,

Rob

 

[beachside]

ATO must have confused the issue, but I put it in writing so their stuff up. A bit hard to determine up front how much you will use a tool for in relation to IP or private use when you initially only bought it to do work on IP with no other need at the time.

 

[depreciator]

ATO must have confused the issue, but I put it in writing so their stuff up

Whatever was said in the conversation might be their error, but if you don't have something from them in writing, it could become your problem. I wouldn't be depending too much on a notes taken from a conversation with someone in a call centre.