Section 23
Section 23: arrears of rent and unrealised rent received subsequently
Section 23 deals with rent that catches up with the taxpayer later - either arrears of rent from an earlier period, or rent that was written off as unrealisable and is then recovered. Both are taxed as house property income in the year actually received, with a flat 30% deduction, regardless of whether the taxpayer still owns the property by then.
This explanation is AI-assisted and pending review by our CA/CS team. It is general information, not professional advice - always cross-check against the bare law text above or talk to our tax team for guidance specific to your situation.
What Section 23 says
Arrears of rent received from a tenant, or unrealised rent subsequently realised from a tenant, are deemed to be income from house property for the tax year in which the amount is received or realised (section 23(1)).
This deemed income is included in the assessee's total income under "Income from house property" for that year, whether or not the assessee still owns the property in that tax year (section 23(2)).
A flat 30% of the arrears of rent or unrealised rent is allowed as a deduction (section 23(3)).
Frequently asked questions
Is arrears of rent taxed even if I've sold the property since?
Yes - Section 23(2) specifically includes it in house property income for the year of receipt, regardless of whether the assessee still owns the property at that time.
Is there any deduction available on arrears/unrealised rent received?
Yes - a flat 30% deduction is allowed on the amount of arrears of rent or unrealised rent received, under section 23(3).
Related sections
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Talk to our tax team about this sectionLast updated 9 September 2026