The Virtual Tax Department for
Modern Law Firms
Get the expertise of an in-house SDLT specialist without the full-time overhead.
We provide independent sign-off on every file, shifting the liability
away from your fee-earners and onto our insurance.
Our retainer provides you with the “Insurance Shield”, meaning we stand behind our verification and handle the technical correspondence with HMRC, saving your fee-earners hours of unbillable time.
You file the returns.
But, can your team defend the advice?
Most conveyancing firms face a dangerous dilemma:
You are required to file SDLT returns, yet you aren't positioned to provide formal tax advice. This leaves your firm vulnerable to HMRC audits, PI Insurance premium increases and heavy fines.
Current industry data backed up by HMRC shows that roughly 30% of SDLT returns are at risk of being considered inaccurate
~50% of SDLT calculations (residential & commercial) are non-standard
~37% of transactions carry material SDLT risk
£10,000+ average SDLT swing per affected residential case
OUR SOLUTION
THE SDLT SIGN-OFF MONTHLY RETAINER
Hawthorne Tax Advisory acts as your firm’s independent tax department. We don’t just "check" figures; we take responsibility for them.
Independent sign-off on every file
Every return is verified by a specialist, shifting the advisory burden away from your fee-earners.
Insurance-Backed Protection
Our oversight is covered by our professional indemnity, providing a secondary layer of security for your practice.
Seamless integration & support
We work alongside your existing workflow, and our onboarding process is included as standard.
If your firm is completing 20+ transactions per month, this is the ideal solution to ensuring your business is protected without the high cost of an expert employee.
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Set monthly cost with a 12-month minimum commitment
Includes professional insurance cover, onboarding.
You’ll also receive regular industry updates & legislative alerts -
Set fee per return (charged as a disbursement to the client)
Your client gains "Verified peace of mind" for a small fee; your firm gains extra level of protection from filing errors at zero net cost to the business.
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Set % based on transaction price (minimum fees will apply).
Expert handling of complex commercial structures, mixed-use land, and multiple-dwelling reliefs.
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Advanced Tax Planning
Need to go further? We offer bespoke tax planning for high-net-worth clients and complex corporate acquisitions.
Available via separate instruction:
How our retainer works
Upload via
Secure Portal
Specialist
Review
Certificate of
Verification
Issued
You may have a few questions…
Can we really charge an additional fee to the client?
1
Yes. It is a disbursement for independent tax verification, much like a search fee or an environmental report. Most clients welcome the "Peace of Mind" certificate.
Does this replace our PI insurance?
2
No, but it protects it. By having an independent specialist sign off, you significantly reduce the likelihood of a claim ever hitting your policy.
How quickly can we get a return signed off?
3
We understand that conveyancing moves fast. For firms on our retainer, we provide priority turnaround times to ensure we never hold up your completion dates.
What is the commitment period for the retainer?
4
Our standard retainer is based on a 12-month minimum commitment. This allows us to fully integrate with your firm’s onboarding processes, provide consistent staff training, and ensure you have year-round protection against legislative changes. It provides the stability of an in-house tax department at a fraction of the overhead.
Does the retainer cover all of our staff?
5
Yes. The retainer covers the firm as an entity. While we offer a specific "Staff Training" bolt-on for deep-dive workshops, the standard retainer includes ongoing updates and onboarding to ensure your whole team knows how to flag complex cases to us.
Why should we use Hawthorne instead of our usual tax generalists?
6
SDLT is a highly specialised, "niche" tax. General accountants often lack the specific PI insurance or the granular knowledge of recent case law regarding multiple dwelling relief (MDR) or mixed-use land. We are specialists; our insurance and our reputation are built solely on this expertise.
What happens if a return we file is queried by HMRC?
7
If we have signed off on the return, we lead the response. Our retainer provides you with the "Insurance Shield", meaning we stand behind our verification and handle the technical correspondence with HMRC, saving your fee-earners hours of unbillable time.
About Hawthorne Consultancy
Led by James Cannaford, an experienced tax adviser with more than a decade’s experience in complex structuring, Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) reliefs, and HMRC negotiations, Hawthorne offers specialist insight with the attentiveness and discretion only a boutique practice can provide.
James works independently, ensuring clients receive focused, consistent advice directly from him. At the same time, his longstanding relationships with trusted professionals in related fields, such as VAT, estate planning and corporate governance, allow Hawthorne to deliver joined-up tax solutions where broader support is needed.