Author: Helen Barklam

As a buy-to-let landlord in the UK, there are a number of rules and regulations that you must adhere to. Before making any investment in buy-to-let property, its important to read and digest these rules to become fully aware of the legal responsibilities. This article outlines the key rules applicable at the time of writing. However, the landscape is forever changing and you should always check the official Government website for the latest guidance. Deposits and fees As a landlord, you must: Safety As a landlord, you must: Maintenance As a landlord, you must: Property access As a landlord, you…

Customer acquisition cost, or CAC as its commonly known, is an important metric frequently used by many businesses, particularly in SaaS and other web based businesses. CAC is effectively a calculation of how much it costs to acquire a new customer. It is often compared to customer lifetime value (LTV) because a strong understanding of how much it costs to acquire a customer vs. how much profit that customer will generate on average is powerful. Not only is this powerful for the Management team, but also to potential external investors. Management can use the CAC and lifetime value metrics to…

Plenty of smart people get confused by the deferred tax concept, which is understandable because if you’ve not come across it before, it can be a bit confusing to get your head around. In this article we seek to demystify deferred tax assets and liabilities by breaking down what drives deferred tax with numerical examples. What is deferred tax? Deferred tax is an accounting construct and can be both a liability or an asset on the balance sheet. It arises where differences arise between accounting and taxable profits. More specifically: Deferred tax liabilities represents corporation tax payable in future periods…

Ground rent investment involves acquiring the freehold title of residential or commercial leasehold property. As ground rent investments are illiquid in nature, they are best suited to investors who do not require immediate access to their funds. Ground rent investments provide an opportunity for cautious investors to gain exposure to the UK property market with fewer risks than traditional buy-to-let property investments. However, finding appropriate ground rent investment opportunities can be more difficult than finding buy-to-let opportunities as (i) supply is limited, and (ii) close relationships with house-builders are often required to source the best deals. This article will focus…

The Scotch Whisky industry is incredibly important to Scotland. There are 133 Scotch Whisky distilleries in Scotland, with regulations dictating that the spirit must be allowed to mature in oak casks for a minimum of three years. The Scotch Whisky Association reports that 1.3 billion bottles of Scotch Whisky were exported in 2019 (42 bottles per second) with a total value of £4.9 billion. This investing in whisky guide will solely focus on the Scotch Whisky market, though it is also possible to invest in whisky produced in other regions such as American Whisky or Irish Whisky. Introduction to Scotch…

Getting started investing in UK domain names is easy but that doesn’t mean it’s a suitable investment for everyone. Before investing, the most important thing to understand is that domain names (even good ones) are illiquid assets and there are no guarantees that you will be able to find a willing buyer when required. This article will seek to teach you all of the basics of getting started in investing in UK domain names: Domain names – the basicsWhat gives a domain name value?Domain name researchHow to profit from UK domainsHow to invest in UK domain namesAcquiring domains from existing…

Capital gains tax (often referred to as ‘CGT’) is a tax payable by UK individuals who sell or dispose of an asset at a profit. Capital gains tax is applicable to the taxable gain (i.e. the difference between the sale price/disposal value and the purchase price) rather than the full sale price. Disposal value applies in the scenario where an asset is not sold, but rather it is gifted, swapped or transferred. For example, if you gave an asset to a friend for free, a capital gains liability would arise on the deemed value of the asset on transfer. Capital…

Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin is credited with starting the now infamous FIRE movement. The premise of the book is that in modern society, the majority of people trade their time for money. Think about this for a second. If someone were to hold a gun to your head and ask ‘Your Money or Your Life?’, you would almost certainly hand over your wallet without second thought. And yet every day, consciously or unconsciously, people all around the world trade their time/life for money and live consumerist lifestyles which prolong that reality. The book…