Tag: Tax Relief

Charging interest on a Directors’ Loan Account

Directors Loan

When you’re the director of a business, it’s likely that there will be occasions where you borrow money directly from your company, or inject your own capital into the business.

A Directors’ Loan Account (DLA) keeps track of this money owed between the company and its directors. In many companies, the account is in credit – i.e. the company owes money to the director. This can be due to directors injecting startup capital into the company, not drawing dividends they are owed, or other expenses that have been subsidised by the director.

In these situations, it’s worth considering charging interest on the balance that’s due. But how do you do this? And what impact does charging interest have for the director and company?

Understanding interest on Directors’ Loan Accounts

Let’s take a look at some of the rules around applying interest on DLAs, and the potential benefits this can bring to your company and tax planning.

  • Any interest paid re these DLAs will be deductible when calculating your company’s taxable profits. Because of this, it’s possible to achieve tax savings of up to 25%.
  • For the individual, a basic-rate taxpayer has a Personal Savings Allowance (PSA) of £1,000 and will pay 20% on the excess. So, paying interest is more tax-effective than declaring dividends. The PSA for a higher-rate taxpayer is £500.
  • The interest rate needs to be a commercial rate. In other words, the interest rate used must not exceed the rate you’d expect to see from a third-party lender.
  • Where interest is paid to an individual, basic rate tax needs to be deducted at source from any payment made to the director.
  • This tax is reportable to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) on a calendar-quarterly basis, with the amount deducted offset against tax due on the individual’s personal tax return. Where the company accounts are not drawn up to a calendar-quarter end, a fifth return is required up to the balance sheet date.
  • The company can take into account any interest due, but not paid, until up to twelve months later when calculating its own profits. However, the individual will only include as income any interest that’s actually been paid. Note though that ‘paid’ can include crediting to a DLA!. This can give a timing advantage.

Talk to us about maximising the tax benefits of your DLA

Any interest you receive is not subject to National Insurance Contributions (NICs) and is particularly tax effective when shielded by the Personal Savings Allowance (PSA).

The reporting requirements for interest on DLAs are no walk in the park.

How do you pay interest to a director or individual lender? CT61 – Steve J Bicknell Tel 01202 025252

Are you missing out on Qualifying Interest Relief? – Steve J Bicknell Tel 01202 025252

Understanding the Tax Consequences of s455 Directors Loan: A Guide for UK Business Owners – Steve J Bicknell Tel 01202 025252

Because of this, it’s a good idea to talk to us first, so we can make sure you have a workable system in place prior to making any payments. We can also give an opinion of the acceptability of the proposed rate of interest to pay, and how it measures up against current market rates.

Get in touch to talk about interest on your DLA.

steve@bicknells.net

Understanding the Tax Consequences of s455 Directors Loan: A Guide for UK Business Owners


If you’re a director or shareholder of a UK company, it’s important to understand the tax consequences of s455 Directors Loan. Failure to comply with HMRC regulations can lead to penalties and additional tax liabilities. In this blog post, we will explore the tax implications of s455 Directors Loan, the rate of tax payable, when and how the tax is paid, reclaiming the tax, benefits in kind, board resolutions, bed and breakfasting loans, anti-avoidance rules, relief time period, and including relevant notes in micro accounts.

  1. Understanding s455 Directors Loan:
    S455 Directors Loan refers to money borrowed by a company director or shareholder from their company. If the loan is not repaid within 9 months following the end of the accounting period, it can incur tax implications for both the company and the director.
  2. Rate of Tax Payable:
    The rate of tax payable on s455 Directors Loan is currently set at 33.75% of the outstanding loan amount. This tax is paid by the company, not the individual director or shareholder.CTM61505 – Close companies: loans to participators and arrangements conferring benefit on participator: general – HMRC internal manual – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
  3. When is Tax Payable?
    The tax on s455 Directors Loan is typically due at the same time the company’s corporation tax is due – nine months and one day after the end of the accounting period in which the loan was made.
  4. How is Tax Paid?
    Tax payable on s455 Directors Loan is paid by including it as part of the company’s corporation tax liability, which is reported and paid through the Corporation Tax Return (CT600).
  5. Reclaiming the Tax:
    The tax paid on s455 Directors Loan can be reclaimed by the company after the loan has been repaid. LC Forms (hmrc.gov.uk)
  6. Benefit in Kind on Directors Loan:
    If the loan exceeds £10,000, the company may need to report it as a “benefit in kind” for the director. This means that the individual may be subject to personal income tax on the value of the loan unless the Director/Shareholder pays interest on the loan at least at the approved HMRC rate.
  7. Board Resolution for Loans over £10,000:
    To avoid the potential income tax implications of benefit in kind, a board resolution should be implemented authorising the director’s loan. This should be done before the loan is taken or within nine months of the company’s year end. A loan agreement is also recommended.
  8. Bed and Breakfasting Loans:
    To prevent circumventing the 9-month rule, bed and breakfasting occurs when the director repays the loan just before the end of the 9-month period and immediately takes out a new loan. Anti-avoidance rules are in place to discourage this practice. The key rules are the ’30 day rule’ and ‘intentions and arrangements rule’.
  9. Anti-Avoidance Rules:
    HMRC has anti-avoidance rules in place to prevent the abuse of s455 Directors Loan transactions. It is essential to ensure that all loans between directors/shareholders and their companies are conducted fairly and genuinely.
  10. Relief Time Period – 9 Months:
    The relief time period refers to the nine months following the end of a company’s accounting period. If the loan is repaid within this period, the tax paid on s455 Directors Loan can be reclaimed.
  11. Including Notes in Micro Accounts:
    Micro entities are required to prepare and submit detailed notes as part of their financial statements. It is important to include relevant notes regarding any outstanding s455 Directors Loan, as this will provide transparency during the tax assessment process.

Conclusion:
Understanding the tax consequences of s455 Directors Loan is crucial for UK business owners. By addressing the tax liabilities promptly, ensuring compliance with regulations, and seeking professional advice, companies can navigate this complex area of taxation efficiently. Stay informed, keep accurate records, and stay on top of your financial obligations to avoid any unnecessary penalties or additional tax liabilities.

steve@bicknells.net

The top tax-effective benefits for directors and employees

Offering benefits-in-kind to your staff is a great way to make your business an attractive place to work. And these benefits add even more value if they’re also either tax-effective or tax-free.

You can offer certain concessions that make benefits provided to your employees (including directors) either low-tax or no tax. To be clear, we’re talking here about general employee benefits, not higher-value items such as company cars or share options etc.

Under certain circumstances, these general benefits-in-kind (BiK) become taxable if they’re provided as part of a flexible salary sacrifice system. But let’s look at the kinds of benefits you can offer – and the avantages they have for your employees.

The top tax-effective benefits to offer your team

If you want to offer employee benefits, but don’t want these BiK to end up attracting significant tax penalties for the employee, there are several useful benefits to consider.

For example:

  • Gifts of £50 or under – gifts not exceeding £50 can be given to employees without any tax or National Insurance charges arising. The cost is tax-deductible by the company. The gift must not be related to any work achievements, must not be money, must not be a contractual entitlement and, for directors, the total must not exceed £300 per annum.
  • Annual staff functions – annual functions, such as the yearly Christmas party or team summer barbecue, can be given to employees, provided the total cost per person during the year doesn’t exceed £150 per guest, including VAT.
  • Work mobile phones – a single mobile telephone can be provided to each employee together with the associated line rental and call charges, with no personal tax charge for any private use.
  • Free staff meals – free meals can be provided on company premises or in a staff canteen, provided that it’s on a reasonable scale.
  • Employer pension scheme contributions – as an employer, you can contribute (sometimes, have to contribute) to employee pension funds, within certain annual and lifetime limits. Topping up your employee’s contributions helps to increase the overall benefit of the mandatory work pension scheme.
  • Life insurance cover – Death in Service cover can be provided for your employees, and will normally be tax free, both the insurance premiums paid and any claims paid.
  • Health and medical check-ups – one health-screening assessment and one medical checkup per annum can be provided to each employee. This doesn’t cover full medical insurance, and also doesn’t generally cover medical treatment.
  • Welfare counselling – counselling can be provided to your employees free of tax, but this doesn’t cover medical treatment, legal, tax or financial advice. However, debt counselling is covered.
  • Business mileage – where your employee uses their own car for business travel, that business mileage can be reimbursed at a rate of £0.45/mile for the first 10,000 miles in a tax year and £0.25/mile thereafter.
  • Home-working allowance – you can pay an allowance of £6/week (£26/month) to employees who are required to work from home.
  • Private gyms – gym facilities can be provided to your employees and their family members, as long as the gym premises are not available to the general public.
  • Staff suggestions – rewards for making innovative business suggestions can be paid free of tax, as long as the amount doesn’t exceed £25. If an employee’s suggestion is implemented, a further award, linked to a proportion of the financial benefit to the company, can be made, subject to a cap of £5,000.
  • Long-service awards – you can offer a long-service award to a member of staff after a minimum of 20 years’ service. There must be at least ten years between awards that are made and the award has to be articles rather than cash. The overall cost can’t exceed £50 per year of service.

You can find out more details on the many available employee benefits-in-kind on the Expenses and benefits: A-Z page on the HMRC site.

If you provide a range of attractive tax-effective benefits to your employees, this goes a long way to creating a more satisfied, happy and productive workforce.

Many of the rules around employee benefits are complex and difficult to calculate, so it’s well worth talking to us about your benefits plans and where we can offer advice. We can walk you through the available options and show you the tax implications for your team.

steve@bicknells.net

Factors to Consider When Determining Your Main Residence in the UK

brown paver brick wall


When you own more than one home, deciding which one will be your main residence can have significant tax implications. In the UK, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) provides guidelines on how to determine your main residence for capital gains tax (CGT) purposes. In this blog post, we will discuss the factors you should consider and the process of nominating your main residence. Additionally, we’ll explore various scenarios where you might have a second home for work or as a holiday retreat, and provide case studies and examples to illustrate the concepts.

  1. What is a Main Residence Election?
    The HMRC’s main residence election allows you to nominate the property you consider your main residence for CGT purposes. It is crucial because it determines which property will be exempt from CGT when you sell it. There is no requirement for it to be the property you spend most time on.
  2. Why Nominate a Main Residence?
    Nominating a main residence is particularly beneficial if you own multiple properties. By designating one as your main residence, you can save on potential CGT liabilities when selling the other properties. The Nomination Election once made can be varied CG64510
  3. HMRC CG64545 – Nine Factors to Identify Your Main Residence:
    For a nomination to be accepted, HMRC considers several factors, including:
  • Length of occupation
  • Where your family resides
  • Degree of furnishing and personal belongings
  • Residency status for voting, car registration, etc.
  • Bills and correspondence addresses
  • Where your business is located (if applicable)
  • Schooling and medical registrations
  • Bank accounts and club memberships
  • Intention to return to the property
  1. Having a Second Home for Work:
    In some cases, you might own a second property near your workplace to avoid daily commuting. It is essential to consider whether this property qualifies as your main residence and how it impacts your taxation.
  2. Having a Second Home as a Holiday Retreat:
    If you own a second property primarily for recreational purposes, such as a vacation home, it is crucial to understand the implications of CGT. Determining which property is your main residence becomes vital to minimize potential tax liabilities.
  3. Two-Year Election Deadline:
    To nominate a property as your main residence, you must make the election within two years of acquiring a second property. Every time there is a change in combination of available residences in re-starts the clock, this could be triggered by renting out and re-occupying, but seek advice first.
  4. Format for the Election:
    While there is no specific format, you should provide sufficient information to convince HMRC that your nominated property should be considered your main residence. It is advisable to keep documentary evidence supporting your claim.

Conclusion:
Determining your main residence when you own multiple properties is a crucial decision that affects your tax liabilities. By considering the factors outlined by HMRC and making a nomination within the designated timeframe, you can minimize your CGT liabilities.

steve@bicknells.net

Maximizing Principle Private Residence Relief: Understanding Deemed Occupation and Qualified Absence

couple walking in the street carrying plants and boxes

Introduction


As a UK accountant, it’s crucial to guide clients on the various tax planning opportunities available. One such opportunity is Principle Private Residence (PPR) Relief, which provides tax benefits to individuals who sell their main residence. In this blog post, we will explore the concept of deemed occupation and qualified absences, including eligibility criteria and examples. So, let’s delve into the details!

Understanding Deemed Occupation


Under certain circumstances, an individual’s absence from their main residence can still be considered as occupation for tax purposes. This concept is known as deemed occupation. It allows individuals to claim PPR Relief even when they are not physically present in their property. Let’s explore the qualifying absences.

Absence Qualifying as Deemed Occupation


a. 3 Years for Any Reason: Individuals can claim deemed occupation for up to three years, regardless of the reason for their absence. It could be due to travel, work-related commitments, or simply personal circumstances.
b. 4 Years for Employment Elsewhere: If an individual is employed elsewhere and occupies the property sporadically during a four-year period, the absences can still qualify as deemed occupation.
c. Any Period Required to Work Abroad: Individuals who are required to work abroad can claim deemed occupation during their period away from their main residence.
d. Up to 2 Years at the Start of Ownership with Qualifying Delay: If there is a delay in occupying the property at the start of ownership due to qualifying reasons, individuals can claim deemed occupation for up to two years.

HMRC CG64555: Armed Forces


Special considerations apply to members of the armed forces. Under HMRC CG64555, individuals serving in the armed forces are entitled to claim deemed occupation even if they have not occupied the property for the qualifying period.

Letting During Qualified Absence


During a qualified absence, individuals may choose to let their property. In this case, they are still eligible for PPR Relief on the periods of deemed occupation.

CG65050 – Residence before/after period of absence

It is a condition of s223(3) TCGA92 that both before and after the period of absence there must be a time in which the dwelling-house was its owner’s only or main residence unless they were prevented from resuming residence as a consequence of their or their spouse or civil partner’s employment requiring them to live elsewhere. The periods of residence do not have to be immediately before and after the period of absence.

Examples of Absence Qualifying as Deemed Occupation

a. Sarah, an engineer, temporarily moves abroad to complete a project for four years. Her home remains vacant during this period. She can claim deemed occupation for the first three years.


b. John, a member of the armed forces, is posted overseas for three years. Although he does not occupy the property during this time, he is entitled to claim deemed occupation for the entire period.

Conclusion


Understanding the concept of deemed occupation and qualified absences is essential for maximizing Principle Private Residence Relief. By being aware of the eligibility criteria and utilizing these provisions effectively, individuals can ensure significant tax savings.

steve@bicknells.net

What are the occupancy conditions for holiday lets?

tender traveling woman on board of sailing yacht

If you own a furnished holiday let in the UK, it’s important to understand the occupancy rules set out in the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) HS253 guidelines. Meeting these conditions can make your holiday let a profitable and tax-efficient business. In this post, we’ll explain what the occupancy rules are, what records you need to keep, when you can use a grace period, and how to monitor your occupancy, along with some examples of records.

Occupancy Rules

To qualify as a furnished holiday let, your property must be:

  • available for bookings for at least 210 days per year
  • rented out to paying customers for at least 105 days of the year
  • lettings that exceed 31 continuous days must not exceed more than 155 days during the year. Lettings exceeding 31 days don’t count as holiday lets unless there are unforeseen circumstances.

If your property meets these criteria, you can take advantage of certain tax benefits, such as:

  • claiming capital allowances on furnishings and equipment – these allowance can be substantial where a previously residential property is changed to Holiday Lets (Serviced Accommodation)
  • paying business rates rather than council tax
  • Business Assets Disposal Relief
  • Business Asset Rollover Relief
  • Gift Holdover Relief
  • Splitting profits with your spouse without needing a Form 17
  • Full recovery of Mortgage Interest

Record-keeping

To prove that your property meets the occupancy rules, you need to keep accurate records. These should include:

  • all rentals, including dates and names of customers
  • evidence of the availability of the property for rent, such as an online listing or booking system
  • any periods when the property was unavailable for rent, such as maintenance or personal use

Monitoring occupancy

To ensure that you meet the occupancy criteria, it’s important to keep track of your bookings and availability. You can use a booking calendar to monitor the number of days your property is rented out and avoid exceeding the 31-day limit. There are also software programs that can help you manage your bookings and maintain records.

Examples of records

Here are some examples of records you should keep:

  • A record of all bookings, including the dates of arrival and departure, and the names of the customers
  • An availability calendar that shows when the property is available for rent
  • Invoices and receipts for all expenses related to the property, such as maintenance, cleaning, and repairs

Many operators use Channel Managers such as

Airbnb and Vacation Rental Channel Manager Feature – Guesty

or property managers for example

Book Your Stay | Property management — Grandeur Property

Or you could use systems like

Bedful Booking System

These will easily link to modern accounting systems like Accounting Software – Do Beautiful Business | Xero UK

Conclusion

Meeting the HMRC’s furnished holiday let occupancy rules can help you run your holiday let as a profitable and tax-efficient business. By keeping accurate records of your bookings, availability, and expenses, you can ensure that you meet the criteria and take advantage of the tax benefits. With the help of software and a good booking calendar, you can monitor your occupancy and avoid exceeding the 31-day limit.

steve@bicknells.net

Residential Property Capital Gains Overpayment Madness

By now I am sure you are familiar with the rules

From 27 October 2021, you must report and pay within 60 days of completion of conveyance.

For example, if you complete the disposal on 1 November you must report and pay your Capital Gains Tax by 31 December.

If the completion date was between 6 April 2020 and 26 October 2021 you must report and pay within 30 days of completion of conveyance.

You may have to pay interest and a penalty if you do not report and pay on time.

Tell HMRC about Capital Gains Tax on UK property or land if you’re not a UK resident – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

You report the gains using this link Report and pay your Capital Gains Tax: If you have other capital gains to report – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

If you need a tax agent to help you you have to start the process get and X reference, give that to you tax agent/accountant, they then sent the client a link to become their agent.

You also have to report the information again on your self assessment return.

What happens if you over pay the CGT?

You would think that doing the self assessment would generate a refund, but thats not the case, very frustrating!

The only way to recover or offset the overpaid CGT is to follow a new workaround shared by HMRC at the end of June.

The workaround suggests either:

(a) amending the UK Property Return before submitting the self-assessment return for the year to recover the overpayment that way; or

(b) submitting the self-assessment return and then calling HMRC to ask for a manual transfer to be made of the payments showing on the property account against the self-assessment account so it can then be offset against the total self-assessment bill.

Offsetting overpaid CGT against income tax | ICAEW

CGT Overpayment – Refund request – Community Forum – GOV.UK (hmrc.gov.uk)

CG10450 – Overpayment relief – HMRC internal manual – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

steve@bicknells.net

Can you get the company to buy your solar panels?

aerial view of two houses with roof tiles

At the moment the UK like other countries is in the depth of an energy crisis, mainly caused by the price of gas and lack of gas supplies.

Energy prices are higher than they have ever been, even with potential government intervention the costs will still be high. On top of that we have climate change, if we are to avoid climate disasters, we need to use renewable energy, such as Solar.

There has never been a better time to make your home more energy efficient.

Solar Panels and Batteries could mean you could become close to self-sufficient for energy, harnessing sunlight in the daytime, storing it in batteries and using it at night.

What if your company purchased a solar system for your home as benefit in kind, what would the tax be?

VAT

From 1 April 2022 until 31 March 2027 a zero rate applies to the installation of certain specified energy-saving materials in, or in the curtilage, of residential accommodation in Great Britain 

Energy-saving materials and heating equipment (VAT Notice 708/6) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

It makes no difference whether your company purchases the system or whether an individual purchases it.

Solar panels include all systems that are installed in, or on the site of, a building and that are:

  • solar collectors such as evacuated tube or flat plate systems, together with associated pipework and equipment, such as circulation systems, pump, storage cylinder, control panel and heat exchanger
  • photovoltaic (PV) panels with cabling, control panel and AC/DC inverter

Capital Allowances

Expenditure on solar panels is special rate expenditure on the basis they are integral features of buildings or structures.

Integral features expenditure can also qualify for AIA, they do not unfortunately qualify for the super deduction (must also be a company to qualify for the super deduction).

Click to access Super_deduction_factsheet.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/capital-allowances-manual/ca22335

To qualify for the allowance the conditions at S33A (1) and (2) etc must be met, please see the link below

EXPENDITURE ON INTEGRAL FEATURES (s. 33A) | Croner-i Tax and Accounting (croneri.co.uk)

Ownership of the property is not a requirement to qualify however the person that incurs the expenditure must own the P&M because of incurring it.

Benefit In Kind

As an employee, with the use of a company assets comes a chargeable BIK. The basic calculation is 20% of market value when first available less any unavailability and any contribution. 

Example – Solar Panel System Cost = £16,000 x 20% BIK = £3,200 BIK on which the tax is 20% = £640 per year or 40% = £1,280 per year in addition to the tax there is also Class 1A NI at 13.8% (£441.60), but the overall costs is still below the energy cap of £3,500 and even below the Governments suggested cap of £2,500.

In our particular case we have electric cars and work from home and use significantly more than the average levels.

The benefit in kind is reported in section L (assets placed at the disposal of the employee) of the P11D.

https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/employment-income-manual/eim21873

steve@bicknells.net

How do you create a Group using Share Exchange/Swap? Why is it done?

photo of man holding pen

Share for Share exchange is often used when you are re-organising or creating a group and benefits from tax relief.

Basically if you don’t do a share exchange you would need to sell the shares at market value creating both Capital Gains and Stamp Duty costs.

In order to do a Share exchange you must have bona fide commercial reasons for doing it and it can’t be just to avoid tax. So for example you might want to create a group in order to separate trading and investment activities and enable an investment company to obtain mortgage finance (most lenders probably would not lend to a single company doing both trading and investment in the same company as it puts the investment at risk).

Why?

Here is a common scenario, a developer buys a commercial property to develop into residential and sell, but when the project completes the market conditions have changed they want to keep the residential properties and rent them out.

During the development they will have reclaimed VAT and the first grant of residential is Zero Rated, so they get full recovery. An investor would not get this.

So to avoid partial exemption for VAT its best to move to a new company and there are bona fide Commercial Reasons too as previously noted.

Although the reclassification to investment will create a profit and tax charge a group structure will provide Group SDLT relief. See these blogs for details.

What if you move a Property from Fixed Asset Investment to Trading Stock or Vice Versa? Appropriations and Reclassifaction – Steve J Bicknell Tel 01202 025252

Do you pay SDLT on Properties Transfers within a Group? – Steve J Bicknell Tel 01202 025252

How?

The process basically has 4 stages.

Stage 1 – Form the new companies

Assuming you are now creating a new Holding Company with a New Investment Company, these need to be formed first.

Stage 2 – HMRC Clearance

Its not mandatory but it is best practice How to apply for clearance or approval of a transaction from HMRC – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

To get clearance you need to write a letter to HMRC setting out all the facts, the group structure and the commercial reasons, typically the letter is 6 to 10 pages long.

You can request advance clearances by sending an email to reconstructions@hmrc.gov.uk. You do not need to send a paper copy.

Attachments should be no larger than 2MB. Do not send self-extracting zip files as HMRC software will block them.

If possible we would like to reply by email, but we need your permission to do so by including the following statement:

‘I confirm that our client understands and accepts the risks associated with email and that they are happy for you to send information concerning their business or personal details to us by email. I also confirm that HMRC can send emails to the following address (or addresses)….’

If you’re making the application on behalf of yourself or your company adapt this wording as necessary.

Stage 3 – The Contract

This is normally done by a solicitor.

The contract deals with the acquiring company and the shareholders of the target company under which the shares are to be acquired with the consideration being shares in the acquiring company.

Stage 4 – Stamp Duty Relief

As the acquiring company is paying consideration for the shares (the issue of its own shares), then the transaction is subject to Stamp Duty. However, relief can be claimed under s77 FA 1986 if the conditions are met and the anti-avoidance rule of s77A FA 1986 does not apply. HMRC guidance is at STSM042000 starting at STSM042410. After the conditions have been checked and a claim prepared, see “How to Claim Relief” on GOV.UK. The claim needs to be made within 30 days of the contract date and, as HMRC outline, various information will need to be attached to the e-mail claim including the stock transfer form.

steve@bicknells.net

Spring Statement 2022

A summary of the Spring Statement 2022 is now available – click here

We have produced this newsletter to cover the main issues that are most likely to be of interest to you. You will also find useful commentaries to help you understand how the proposed changes may affect you personally. In addition, we have included a detailed calendar of the most important dates for 2022/23 that will help you with tax planning ahead of time. If you have any questions concerning the issues covered in this summary, or would like advice on the best possible course of action in a particular area, please contact us – click here