Property Developer Advisory

Property tax that doesn't fall apart under scrutiny.

For North West residential and commercial developers who need specialist advice. Not a generalist having a go.

Who This Is For

North West developers who've outgrown their general accountant.

Most developers we work with are experienced operators. They've done projects. They've worked with accountants. They've paid tax.

They come to us when they realise there's a whole layer of complexity their existing team isn't equipped to handle, often after they've already made a structural decision they can't easily undo.

We'd rather meet you before that happens.

"If you're buying a plot and developing it yourself, there's a good chance you're missing a VAT opportunity. Most developers we meet are leaving money on the table. Not through negligence. Just because nobody's told them."

Worth Knowing Early

SDLT can catch developers out on connected transactions. If you've bought two adjacent plots separately, HMRC may aggregate them, and the bill can be significant. Worth checking before you complete.

You might be in the right place if you're:

  • A residential or commercial developer in the North West
  • Working on new builds, conversions, or mixed-use schemes
  • Buying sites through a company, SPV, or personally
  • Unsure whether your current structure is optimal
  • Preparing to acquire, develop, or dispose of property
  • In a dispute or under HMRC enquiry
What We Cover

Four areas where the real money moves.

Property tax isn't one thing. It covers four or five interlocking disciplines, each with its own rules and traps. We cover all of them.

01

Developer VAT

VAT is where most money is either recovered or lost on a development project. The rules are specific, the timing matters, and the penalties for getting it wrong are significant.

We advise on zero-rating for new residential construction, reduced rates for conversions and renovations, the domestic reverse charge for CIS supplies, and the option to tax for commercial property. We also handle DIY housebuilder scheme claims, a mechanism many developers are eligible for but never use.

Areas covered:

  • Zero-rating eligibility for new builds
  • Reduced rate VAT on qualifying conversions
  • Domestic reverse charge compliance
  • Option to tax: when to take it, when not to
  • DIY housebuilder VAT reclaims
  • VAT registration timing and structure
  • Partial exemption and mixed-use developments
02

SDLT Planning

Stamp Duty Land Tax is often the largest single tax cost on an acquisition. It's also one of the areas where planning, if done correctly and early, can make a material difference.

We work with developers from due diligence through to completion, making sure the SDLT position is assessed before contracts are exchanged, not after, when options are limited.

Areas covered:

  • Multiple dwellings relief
  • Linked transactions: aggregation risk
  • Mixed-use classification
  • First-time buyer exemptions
  • Group relief and corporate restructuring
  • Charitable and non-profit reliefs
  • SDLT on leases and leaseback arrangements
03

CGT & Income Tax

Whether your development profit is taxed as income or capital gain depends on how the project is structured, and sometimes on facts you can't easily change after the event.

The distinction between trading and investment isn't always clear-cut. We help you understand where you sit, how to position the project correctly, and what elections or claims are available.

Areas covered:

  • Trading vs investment classification
  • Development profit vs capital gain analysis
  • Principal Private Residence relief on new builds
  • Business Asset Disposal Relief eligibility
  • Inter-company dividend and loan planning
  • Non-resident CGT on UK land
  • Timing elections and holdover relief
04

Structure & SPVs

The right structure at the start of a project can make a significant difference to the overall tax position at the end. The wrong one is expensive to fix, if it can be fixed at all.

We advise on when an SPV makes sense, how to think about group structures, and the tax implications of how projects are funded and how proceeds are extracted.

Areas covered:

  • SPV setup and project structuring
  • Company vs personal ownership analysis
  • Group structure design
  • Inter-company loans and transfer pricing
  • Freehold/leasehold splits
  • Finance considerations and deductibility
  • Exit planning and disposal structure
How It Works

A conversation first. Then advice.

We don't do one-size-fits-all. Every project is different, and the right advice depends on the specific facts: the property, the structure, the people involved, the timeline.

We start with a conversation. We ask about what you're doing, how you're structured, and what decisions are coming up. That tells us where the real risks and opportunities are.

Book a conversation
1

Initial call

Tell us about the project: what you're developing, how it's structured, where you are in the process. No charge for this.

2

We identify the issues

We look at the specific facts and tell you where the risks sit, where the opportunities are, and what needs attention first.

3

Clear written advice

You get a written position that you can rely on, not a verbal opinion. Something with substance behind it.

4

Ongoing advisory relationship

For active developers, we stay involved through the project. As decisions evolve, the tax position does too.

Got a project coming up?

The best time to get specialist advice is before you exchange. The second best time is now.

Book a conversation