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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SDLT Relief on Acquisition by Property Traders from Personal Representatives

New Blog Post

Property Investing| Tax| Property

August 23, 2026•2 min read

SDLT Relief on Acquisition by Property Traders from Personal Representatives

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is generally payable on the acquisition of land and property in England and Northern Ireland. However, specific reliefs may apply in certain circumstances.

One such relief is available where a property trader acquires residential property from personal representatives (PRs) of a deceased person. This relief can significantly reduce or eliminate SDLT liabilities and is particularly relevant for property developers who purchase inherited property for resale.

What is the Relief?

This relief is designed to facilitate the efficient transfer of property from estates into the market. Where a qualifying property trader purchases a property from PRs, the transaction may benefit from an SDLT exemption, provided certain conditions are met.

In essence, the relief recognises that such transactions are part of a trading activity rather than long-term investment and therefore reduces the SDLT burden to avoid discouraging redevelopment and resale.

Key Conditions

To claim the relief, all the following conditions must be satisfied:

·The dwelling is acquired in the course of a business that consists of or includes acquiring dwellings from personal representatives of deceased individuals.

·The deceased individual occupied the dwelling as their only or main residence at some time in the two years ending with the date of their death.

·The property trader does not intend to spend more than the permitted amount on refurbishment of the dwelling.

·The property trader does not intend to grant a lease or licence of the dwelling, or to permit any of its principals or employees (or any person connected them) to occupy the dwelling.

·The area of land acquired does not exceed the permitted area.

For these purposes, the legislation defines:

·‘Property trader’ as either a company, LLP or a corporate partnership.

·‘Refurbishment’ as works that enhance the value of the dwelling, not including cleaning or works required solely for the purpose of ensuring that the dwelling meets minimum safety standards.

·‘Permitted amount”, as the higher of £10,000, or 5% of the consideration for the acquisition of the dwelling, but subject to a maximum of £20,000.

·‘Permitted area’ as, generally, 0.5 of a hectare.

If the conditions are not met, SDLT will be payable at the standard residential rates, including possible surcharges

How We Can Help

Determining eligibility for SDLT relief can be complex and fact-specific. As your advisers, we can:

·Assess whether your transaction qualifies.

·Structure acquisitions to maximise tax efficiency.

·Prepare and submit SDLT returns correctly.

·Support you in dealing with HMRC queries.

Further information

More information on this relief can be found in HMRC’s SDLT manual:

SDLTM21040 - Reliefs: Certain acquisitions of residential property - HMRC internal manual - GOV.UK

taxproperty 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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