Helping companies in the Property and Construction sectors adapt and maximise their opportunities for growth
Property and Construction Hub
Welcome to the Property Hub – An area where insights and articles into current news around the property industry are brought together and made easily accessible
Heather Powell
Property and Construction Lead
View Heather's profile
Our multi-disciplinary Property and Construction team provide practical, user-friendly guidance to help companies adapt to the changing world and grow their business. We do this by providing commercially focused advice drawing on our expertise that encompasses all financial reporting, budgeting and tax matters – from SDLT to VAT, from Corporation Tax to Capital Gains Tax.
Our expert team work collaboratively to deliver the best service to our clients. You will deal with one lead partner, who is able to call upon the depth of expertise in the firm, co-ordinating the services you require and ensuring that these reflect your needs and ambitions.
The Reserved Investor Fund: A new opportunity for UK real estate?
The launch of the Reserved Investor Fund (RIF) represents one of the most significant developments in the UK funds landscape for many years.Designed to provide a cost-effective, flexible and efficient onshore alternative to established offshore structures, the RIF has the potential to reshape how institutional investors access UK real estate, while creating opportunities for fund managers, investors and their advisers.
The Opportunities, Limitations & Benefits of RIFs
When HMRC introduced the reserved investor fund, its goal was to provide a new type of fund structure with greater flexibility and lower costs. With the first RIFs nolaunching, Bisnow spoke to Mark about who the fund is geared towards and how it could impact the UK housing market.
Property Funds – UK Reporting Fund Regime
Financial Services Partner Mark Eade talks to Senior Manager Sarangan Kandasamy about the UK Reporting Fund Regime, covering both a high-level background as well as some tips and pitfalls before reflecting on what we’re seeing with clients in the market currently.
Latest Property VAT News
Queenscourt: VAT Treatment of Design & Build Contracts
The Upper Tribunal’s decision in Queenscourt Ltd v HMRC has attracted attention well beyond the fast-food sector in which the dispute arose. The decision highlights the importance of analysing the facts carefully
The latest Property & Construction Videos
June 17, 2026
The VAT Implications with using Transfer of a Going Concern (TOGC)
VAT Director Ola Adigun is joined by Senior Manager Kate Insole to talk about Transfer of a Going Concern (TOGC) and the implications it can have.
May 21, 2026
Top 5 Property Tax Issues for developers, investors, and lenders
Corporate Tax Partner Neil Insull and Tax Manager Sinth Sivanesan discuss top 5 tax issues in the property sector for developers, investors, and lenders.
December 17, 2025
Lease Accounting Rules and FRS102: What is the impact for commercial landlords?
Heather Powell and Mark Cunningham discuss the impact of the new leasing rules for operating leases.
November 19, 2025
De-enveloping properties
Heather Powell, Partner and Head of Property & Construction, talks to Senior Manager Julie Dobychina about De-enveloping properties.
June 7, 2025
The legal and accounting pitfalls of commercial property
Heather Powell & Dan Moan, fom Devonshire Solicitors, talk about the issues that investors in commercial property need to consider before buying.
July 8, 2026
Thank you UKREiiF 2026
Listen to what Head of Property & Construction Partner Heather Powell has to say as she reflects on our time in Leeds.
Adapt & Grow
The wide range of opportunities and challenges facing the Property and Construction sectors can, without careful planning, result in a cash-flow crisis. Current examples of these include significant increases in labour and material costs as well as the recent change in the tax regime for residential developers – increasing the tax payable on developments, both of which reduce the capital retained in the business.
We can help you
- Gain a clearer understanding of your position in this changing landscape
- Help to continually monitor financial results with a focus on optimising cash flows
- Invest in identifying and addressing issues as they arise
- To be in the best position to thrive and grow your business as the economy recover
Tax Transaction Services
Any buyer of property, whether a development site or an investment, needs to consider all of the UK taxes that impact not only at the date of purchase but also during the period of ownership. Getting this wrong can be an expensive error. Whether acquiring property via the purchase of shares in a company, or buying the asset itself, SDLT, VAT, Corporation tax and Income tax all need to be considered – as well as how profits can be extracted in the most tax efficient way.
Our team give advice on the best way to structure a purchase, and where a company is being purchased, work with buyers and their other professional advisors in completing a review of the financial and tax records to ensure that no unexpected liabilities are acquired with the company shares. A combination of property sector knowledge and technical expertise allow the team to deliver a focussed, cost effective service to clients which is clear, concise and timely.
Events
Sustainability Evening
Our Property team hosted an evening seminar to discuss sustainability and innovation in Construction, presented by Head of Property Heather Powell with guest speaker Vince Ruane.Heather began proceedings with an overview of Blick Rothenberg’s EPC survey and the preparations landlords are making in both the residential and commercial sector to complete the works. Vince Ruane, a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of CIBSE, Founder and Director of RCDC, and Founder and CTO of Airifi was speaking about innovation in construction, how this and the sustainability of a property are linked, and the decarbonisation in the real estate sector.
WiP EPC Panel Discussion – Impact of the new regulations
Having published our Annual Landlords Survey: Spotlight on EPC report, responses from residential and commercial Landlords all over the UK paint a picture of confusion and ill-preparedness for the upcoming EPC Changes. The report asks the questions:
- Are UK rental properties ready to meet the Government’s new requirements?
- How do property owners plan to fund the works required?
- What impact will implementation have on commercial and residential landlords?
- Heather outlined the results of the firms’ survey alongside Suzanne Gill, Partner at Wedlake Bell, and Chris Strathon, Senior Director at JLL.
The Annual Landlords Survey: Spotlight on EPC
Full report and results now available
We conducted a survey to investigate how ready UK landlords were for the Government’s new Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) guidelines, with the results showing that many were ill-prepared for the changes ahead. Our 2023/24 survey shows that whilst awareness has grown with more residential and commercial landlords better prepared, many still have no budget or plans in place to meet the required standards.
The report asks:
- What should landlords do to ensure compliance?
- How can UK landlords take advantage of potential tax reliefs?
- What should the Government do to help support landlords?
Our exclusive report summarises our findings and shows how responses compare across landlords facing similar challenges.
August 14, 2026
Government must revive the UK’s commercial property market to encourage growth
Commercial property is often viewed through the lens of real estate investment, but its importance extends far beyond the property sector.
August 14, 2026
Frozen SDLT Thresholds: Is Tax Holding Back the UK Housing Market?
The Government has set an ambitious target of delivering 1.5 million new homes during this Parliament, recognising that a healthy housing market is fundamental to economic growth.
May 5, 2026
Stagnant property market puts UK housing ambitions at risk
The UK Government’s ambition to deliver 1.5 million new homes faces a growing challenge.
