Property Finance &
Structuring
Whether you are acquiring, developing or restructuring a property portfolio, the financial structure determines the outcome. We advise on SPV setup, SDLT planning, CGT strategy and development finance across residential and commercial property.
Structure determines return.
We get this right from day one.
Most property investors overpay on tax because they engage advisory after the deal is signed. We review structure, SDLT implications and tax planning before you commit, when there is still time to change the outcome.
Discuss Your Deal →Structure determines
your return.
Property investment without the right financial structure is unnecessarily expensive. We work at the deal level, reviewing SPV options, tax implications and finance structures before you commit.
Deal-level.
Not compliance-level.
We review every transaction at the deal level, SPV options, stamp duty implications, capital gains planning and finance structure. Most property investors overpay on tax because they don't engage advisory at the right point.
The structure you choose at acquisition determines your return at disposal. Most investors get this wrong because they engage advisory too late.
Bharat Varsani FCCADirector, Key Ledgers GlobalAdvised
Specialisms
Expert
Property finance
questions answered.
If your question is not covered below, contact us directly and we will respond the same working day.
A special purpose vehicle (SPV) is a limited company formed specifically to hold a property or portfolio of properties. It separates the asset from your personal estate, provides a more efficient structure for mortgage finance in many cases, and can offer significant tax advantages particularly on corporation tax versus income tax rates. Whether you need one depends on your overall financial position, the nature of the acquisition, how you intend to finance it, and your longer-term plans for the asset. These factors should be assessed before you commit to a purchase, not after exchange.
Before you make an offer. Once you have exchanged contracts the legal and tax position is largely fixed, SDLT is calculated on the purchase price and structure at exchange, not at a point you might prefer. If you engage us before heads of terms are agreed, we can review the ownership structure, tax implications and finance approach while there is still time to make changes that save money. Engaging after exchange typically means accepting a position that could have been improved with a different approach earlier in the process.
It depends on the transaction. On a residential portfolio acquisition the right structure can save tens of thousands of pounds. Where multiple dwellings relief, mixed use classification, or corporate acquisition structures are applicable, the difference between a poorly structured and well-structured acquisition can be material. We do not quote savings until we have reviewed the specific transaction, but we will give you a clear view of what is available and what is not before you commit.
Yes. We review development appraisals for financial robustness, checking cost assumptions, GDV calculations, contingency levels and finance cost modelling. We also prepare and review the financial narrative that goes to lenders. Lenders making development finance decisions want to see a credible financial story backed by realistic numbers. We ensure the presentation is structured to address the questions a credit committee will ask, and that the numbers stand up to scrutiny at drawdown stage.
We work on a fixed fee basis. For a pre-acquisition deal review the fee is agreed upfront before we start. For ongoing portfolio advisory we agree a monthly retainer that reflects the scope of work. There is no hourly billing and no surprises. The cost of getting the structure right at acquisition is almost always a fraction of the tax saving it delivers, and significantly less than the cost of restructuring later. We will give you a clear fee at the outset so you can make an informed decision before engaging.
Other practice areas you may need.
When Should a Property Portfolio Move Into a Corporate (SPV) Structure?
The decision points that justify moving a UK property portfolio into a corporate or SPV structure, the reliefs that make it possible, and the costs that catch landlords out.
Care Home Occupancy Modelling: What the Funder's Adviser Tests
How forensic accountants stress-test care home occupancy assumptions in funding cases, the metrics that change a lender's view, and the common operator mistakes that prove expensive.
How Owner-Managed Businesses Lose £50k+ a Year Through Structural Tax Inefficiency
The structural tax decisions that quietly cost owner-managed UK businesses tens of thousands a year, and how to identify them before HMRC settles a position you cannot reverse.
Whether it's tax, CFO
or strategic finance.
Whether you are seeking tax optimisation, CFO advisory or strategic finance support, we respond promptly and work with precision. No junior gatekeepers. You speak directly to Bharat Varsani FCCA.
19-21 Westfield Lane
Harrow, London HA3 9ED