When my ex husband died a few years ago I inherited our small home (flat).

I was living in rented accommodation and did not want to live in the flat so in the 2013/14 tax year I rented it out and it has been occupied since.

Recently,

a former colleague and friend who was doing my Self-Assessment tax returns has had a complete breakdown and will not be fit and well for the long term.

I since discovered that no Self Assessment tax returns were submitted,

the whereabouts of my paperwork is unknown and I'm not registered for Self-Assessment.

I accept that this is partly my own fault;

when I was told I did not need to submit a tax return as there was no tax to pay, I should have questioned it.

The amount of tax owed is very small (around £700)

I decided to make a voluntary disclosure to HMRC under a campaign for landlords called the Let Property Campaign.

I worked out what I owed,

completed an online disclosure (including selecting my own penalty) and paid HMRC.

I am just awaiting their confirmation that this has been accepted but verbally they have indicated all is OK.

In the meantime,

sick of paying rent myself,

and discovering my landlord is selling the property that I live in the for the second time in two years, I am buying a small house.

I have found a house, have a decision in principle for a mortgage and now the house buying process is moving forward.

This is a life saver for me in some respects, living in rented accommodation is very depressing and being unable to have children,

I need something to live and work for so having my own home will change my world in many ways.

As I am older, single, only have 15 years working life left and have a below average credit score,

I am using a mortgage broker as these circumstances narrow my options somewhat.

The problem is that the mortgage company I have a Decision in Principle from (as do most mortgage companies) require official documentation that my tax affairs are all up to date; this would be in the form of a SA302 and/or Tax Year Overview.

Had I had the confidence to do my own tax returns,

I would have been able to get these documents from my Self Assessment records.

But because I have paid my tax via the disclosure route,

all I will get is an acceptance letter from HMRC saying

"yes, we accept your disclosure and confirm that you have paid £700 tax due for the last three tax years”.

Now it seems that this may not sufficient for the mortgage company.

I have tried a few times to speak to someone at HMRC but it is a frustrating process and I am getting nowhere.

Please does anyone know how I am going to be able to provide the mortgage company with something that will suffice so I can get a mortgage and get out of this downward spiral of depression that my life currently is.

Thanks for reading