{"id":11950,"date":"2023-10-06T14:16:47","date_gmt":"2023-10-06T13:16:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.taxpolicy.org.uk\/?p=11950"},"modified":"2024-01-22T21:05:19","modified_gmt":"2024-01-22T21:05:19","slug":"slappedagain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/heacham.neidles.com\/2023\/10\/06\/slappedagain\/","title":{"rendered":"SLAPPed by tax avoidance firm “Property118”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We’re being SLAPPed by tax avoidance outfit “Property118” <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We said their landlord tax avoidance scheme didn’t work and, worse, could default your mortgage. Their lawyers have ordered us to retract our opinion, because they’ve paid for a secret KC opinion which we must defer to, but can’t publish. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our opinion is widely shared within the legal and tax professions, and we won’t be retracting it. We’re publishing the SLAPP<\/a> and our response<\/a>. The KC opinion turns out to be largely irrelevant<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong> – we’re publishing it, together with our analysis<\/a>. <\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our original report on the Property118 scheme is here<\/a>, and a shorter piece on their “amazing” bridge loan scheme is here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UPDATE 16 October: it looks like there will be no sequel to this article, as Property118 and their libel lawyers parted ways<\/a> soon after it was written. We can only speculate as to why.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

The KC opinion<\/h2>\n\n\n

Property118 say<\/a> the KC opinion “confirms the correctness of their approach”:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Although you’re not allowed to see a copy:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

So it’s not a complete surprise that the opinion does not in fact “confirm the correctness of their approach”. It doesn’t even discuss the biggest failings of the structure:<\/p>\n\n\n\n