The SDLT Advisory Retainer for conveyancing firms
SDLT Advisory Retainer
White-label SDLT advisory service designed exclusively to support conveyancing firms. Our service allows you to offer specialist SDLT support to your clients under your own brand, while giving you confidence that each transaction has been checked by an SDLT expert.
How it works: Simple triage, expert confidence
Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is a minefield. It’s one of the most common reasons conveyancers face errors and claims. Why? Because the rules are complex, constantly changing, and easy to misapply — especially with clients who have tricky situations like annexes, multiple homes, overseas property, or company purchases.
We’re here to take that risk off your plate.
We offer a white-label SDLT advisory service designed exclusively for conveyancing firms. We give you and your team the confidence that every single transaction is checked by a dedicated SDLT expert, all while you offer this specialist support under your own trusted brand.
How it works: simple triage, expert confidence
We make SDLT review a seamless part of your file-opening process.
It all starts with a simple triage checklist that your fee-earners use during client onboarding. They just ask straightforward questions designed to flag the SDLT red zones that cause the most common mistakes, such as:
☐ Previous or overseas property ownership
☐ Disposal of a main residence
☐ Annexes, outbuildings, or large plots
☐ Multiple dwellings in one transaction
☐ Company, trust, or partnership buyers
☐ Mixed-use elements
☐ Linked or staged transactions
☐ Transfers of equity, staircasing, or unusual deal structures
☐ Non-UK resident purchasers
THE BENEFITS
Our process highlights which answers are usually straightforward and which must be escalated for review. This keeps the process quick and consistent, while ensuring complex cases are never missed.
What’s included in the Retainer
Our structure means firms like yours can show clients that SDLT is always being considered, without adding significant time to their onboarding process.
Benefits for your conveyancing firm
✔ Reduce the risk of SDLT errors and negligence claims
✔ Free your fee-earners from needing deep tax knowledge
✔ Demonstrate to clients that SDLT has been reviewed by a specialist
✔ Build SDLT advisory into your service offering under your own bran
✔ Cost-certainty with retainer packages that cover a set number of checks and advisory matters
Dedicated triage system tailored for conveyancers
✔ Quick checks (up to 30 minutes) included, so fee-earners can confirm straightforward issues without additional cost
✔ Formal written advice where specialist input is required, charged against the retainer allocation
✔Priority turnaround so transactions are not delayed
✔ Training and guidance notes to help fee-earners ask the right questions with confidence
WHY WORK WITH HAWTHORNE TAX ADVISORY
We specialise solely in SDLT. Our service is designed for conveyancers who want peace of mind that every file has been properly triaged and any potential SDLT issues have been escalated. By working on a retainer basis, firms can budget with confidence and avoid surprises, while ensuring clients receive robust advice every 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.
