Chartered Accountant - HMO Investor - Straight Talker

Hello... I'm Clive Cass

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I’m Clive — a qualified Chartered Accountant and hands-on property investor with over 30 years’ experience helping people make smarter financial decisions and build long-term wealth.

My day-to-day work is split between:

Investing in high-yield HMO properties across the North West and Yorkshire

Advising landlords, builders, and small businesses on tax, accounting and compliance

And I love both.

Because I believe smart property investing and smart tax planning go hand-in-hand — and most people don’t get either right.

What

Let me work with you on property, tax or accountancy and I am sure I can make a measurable difference to your wealth as you look to achieve your financial freedom through property investment.

Why

Work with me in the knowledge that I myself do exactly what I will advise you to do. So if it is good enough for me, I am confident it will be good enough for you.

When & How

I work full time and will be very responsive to all your communications. I always get things done and you will always work directly with me. We can work via email or in person and I am always happy to answer all of your questions.

I’ve built a growing portfolio of Family Buy-to-Lets (FBTLs) and HMOs, carefully selected and professionally managed for strong, consistent returns.

I don’t chase “get rich quick” deals. I invest in quality housing, in real locations, for long-term income.

Most importantly: I invest using the same strategies I recommend to my clients.
If I wouldn’t do it with my own money, I won’t suggest it with yours.

Property Investing with a Numbers-First Mindset

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Tax & Accountancy That Actually Makes Sense

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I run a long-standing accountancy practice working mainly with:

Property investors & landlords

Builders and tradespeople

Self-employed professionals

Whether you need help with Making Tax Digital (MTD), claiming allowable property expenses, or just understanding your books — I make it simple, accurate, and jargon-free.

As a landlord myself, I understand your challenges better than most accountants do.

I’m not a flashy guru or a corporate firm. If we work together, you’ll speak to me directly — not a bot, I'm not a call centre.

I return calls. I answer questions. And I care about long-term partnerships, not quick wins.

If you’re looking for:

A hands-free HMO investment

Expert tax advice tailored to landlords

Someone who actually does what they preach

…then let’s talk.

A Personal, Straightforward Approach

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Elite Broker Blogs

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CIS - Are you a property investor or developer?

Property

June 26, 2026•2 min read

CIS - Are you a property investor or developer?

Most Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) documentation only refers to contractors and subcontractors. However, there are other classifications in the case that your job doesn’t entirely fit into one of those categories.

This fact sheet explains the differences between property developers and property investors and how they are categorised for CIS tax purposes.

What is a property developer?

A property developer is described as an individual or entity that constructs new buildings, renovates existing buildings or takes part in other civil engineering works.

Property developers are considered ‘mainstream contractors’ for CIS purposes.

Mainstream contractors must register with the CIS if they hire subcontractors to carry out construction work, or if they have spent more than £3 million on construction in the 12 months since their first payment.

Mainstream contractors are also responsible for deducting a portion of each subcontractor's pay and transferring the amount to HMRC, as well as submitting monthly CIS returns.

What is a property investor?

A property investment business isn’t the same as a property developer. A property investor buys or sells buildings for capital gain or rental purposes.

A property investment business has a number of properties it needs to prepare before letting. Minor refurbishments are generally required in order for those buildings to be suitable enough to let.

Property investors are considered ‘deemed contractors’ for CIS purposes if they spend over £3 million on construction in a 12 month period.

Deemed contractors include property investors, local authorities and housing associations.They generally do not carry out construction work but have exceeded the £3 million threshold on construction work in the 12 months since their first payment.

It’s important to monitor your construction expenses if you think you’re likely to become a deemed contractor.

The scheme must be applied for any work done on property that is:

●not used by the business for business purposes

●for sale or to let

●is held as an investment

Property investors do not need to apply for the CIS if the construction expenditure is solely for their business property, for instance, an office.

Deemed contractors follow similar rules as mainstream contractors. They must register for the CIS, verify each subcontractor, make deductions from subcontractors’ paychecks and submit monthly returns to HMRC.

property investing

Clive Cass

Clive Cass is a Chartered Accountant & Property Investor who shares his insights into the world of Property Investing. Read along with him as he breaks-down all the facts, information and legislation into easy to follow blog posts.

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