If you are an estate agent, land agent, architect or surveyor and you want to run a successful business, you need advice that’s tailored to your area of expertise. Whether you are an estate agent, a letting agent or a land agent, we offer you the reassurance of a team of experts with many years of experience in your sector. We do not just understand the issues that affect you, we turn that understanding into action. The result is a menu of services from which you can select the ones you wish, whenever you need them.
We have a track record of success, and work for a wide range of property agents, ranging from single-office businesses to multi-office corporates. Our aim is to help you leverage your success while protecting you from economic downturns.
Services
Accounts, audit and tax services
- Accounts
As well as preparing the full range of statutory and management accounts, we offer a portfolio of advisory and planning services designed to help you prepare for future tax liabilities and mitigate them where possible. For statutory compliance we can help as necessary with a thorough and insightful audit programme and the preparation of tax returns. Payroll services complete our offering.
- Tax
We help you comply with all your tax obligations, including VAT, while mitigating liability where possible. We have particular expertise in Stamp Duty Land Tax planning.
- Business planning
Business owners welcome the way we advise them on critical issues such as succession planning, employee incentives and rewards, and taking the business public.
- Benchmarking
We have a programme available where you can compare your financial performance and other key performance indicators, against the average results of your competitors, on an anonymous basis. In this way, you can either comfort yourself that you are outperforming your competition, or focus on specific areas where there is room for improvement.
- Corporate Finance
Working with our colleagues in the Hazlewoods Corporate Finance team, we can help you to expand your business or sell it. We can advise in areas such as acquisitions and disposals, share valuations, goodwill valuations and due diligence. We can also advise you during negotiations for sale or acquisition, and can help to prepare your business for sale.
Tax advisory services
As a property agent you work with a wide variety of taxes every day. Income tax, corporation tax, PAYE, National Insurance, VAT and Stamp Duty Land Tax all require time and attention if you are to avoid the risks and costs of making a mistake. A prudent structure for your business is an important first step in making your business tax efficient – then complement this with our expert advice if you want to pay as little tax as possible.
Here are some of the areas where we can help:
- Income tax
If you currently trade as an individual or in a partnership, you will be taxed on your share of the profits, regardless of your cash needs. With the new rate of 50% applying for taxable income over £150,000, you need to consider your alternatives.
- Becoming a limited company
Your decision on incorporation will depend on your personal circumstances. For many agents, savings can be achieved. If you decide to trade as a company, ensure that you structure your income for maximum tax efficiency: paying yourself a salary is not the only option.
- Sole trader or partnership status
Have you done everything possible to mitigate your tax liability? There are some aggressive income tax planning opportunities which we can explain. But just some simple planning and timing of expenditure can make a big difference to your tax bill
Corporation tax
If your agency has a corporate or group structure, you need to act prudently to minimise exposure to corporation tax. We can discuss a number of aggressive tax planning opportunities with you. First, however, we suggest some basic steps such as adjusting the structure of your business, changing the timing of expenditure, and improving your forward planning.
We will be very happy to work with you to review your current structure and corporation tax position and suggest ways to reduce your exposure to corporation tax.