Schedule Your
Consultation

Scheduling a consultation with Parousia is straightforward:

For general inquiries and non-urgent matters: Complete the contact form or email us at PaulaPayen@parousia-accounting.com—we typically respond within 24 hours during business days.

For urgent HMRC investigation matters: Call the office and say your matter is urgent — you will be put through to a specialist.

We offer both in-person consultations at our office and remote consultations via secure video conferencing for clients anywhere in the United Kingdom or internationally. Initial consultations typically last 60-90 minutes, allowing comprehensive discussion of your situation.

When booking, please indicate: • The nature of your matter (HMRC investigation, tax planning, estate planning) • Urgency level • Your preferred consultation format (in-person or remote) • Your availability

Our team will confirm your appointment within one business day and provide pre-consultation information gathering forms to maximize meeting efficiency.

Yes—time-sensitive HMRC investigation matters are prioritised, particularly COP 9 cases with 60-day response deadlines and criminal investigation scenarios requiring urgent legal representation.

For urgent matters: Call the office during business hours (Monday to Friday, 9:00–18:00), or email PaulaPayen@parousia-accounting.com marking your message "URGENT - HMRC INVESTIGATION".

We understand that receiving a COP 9 letter, criminal investigation notice, or search warrant creates immediate stress and time pressure.

What prioritising an urgent matter means in practice: • Same-day or next-day consultation availability wherever we can offer it • Immediate case assessment to understand deadlines and required actions • Preliminary advice to protect your position while comprehensive advice is prepared • Coordination with our criminal defence partners when legal privilege is required

Outside office hours, email marked urgent is the route to use; direct lines for individual advisers are published on our team page. The critical factor in HMRC investigation outcomes is often early specialist intervention—don't delay seeking advice.

Bring all relevant documentation to maximize first consultation value.

For HMRC investigation matters, bring: • The HMRC letter or notice you received • Recent tax returns (last 3-5 years) • Correspondence with HMRC • Any previous advisor communications • A summary of the suspected issues if you're aware of them

For tax planning consultations, bring: • Recent tax returns • Details of income sources • Asset lists including property and investments • Existing trust documentation if applicable • Pension statements • Details of your immigration/emigration plans if relevant

For estate planning, bring: • Property valuations • Investment portfolios • Existing will and trust documents • Details of lifetime gifts already made • Pension statements

Don't worry if you don't have everything—we can obtain missing information later. More important is providing accurate context about your situation during the consultation. If you're uncertain what's relevant, bring everything you think might matter—we'll quickly identify what's important.

Our fee structure depends on service type and complexity:

Initial consultations for tax planning matters: Typically range from £500-£1,500 depending on consultation length and complexity.

HMRC investigation initial consultations: Often operate on a fixed-fee basis (£2,000-£5,000) including preliminary case assessment, immediate protective advice, and investigation strategy development.

Ongoing representation fees are typically structured as: • Fixed fees for defined scopes (e.g., COP 9 disclosure preparation, tax return preparation) • Hourly rates for open-ended advisory work (partner rates £350-500/hour, senior manager rates £200-300/hour) • Monthly retainers for clients requiring ongoing support

For complex matters, we provide written fee estimates before commencing work. Many investigation cases operate on conditional fee arrangements where initial payment secures our services with subsequent billings based on actual work performed.

Professional fees are typically far exceeded by the tax savings achieved through expert representation. We're transparent about costs—you'll always understand our fee structure before engagement. Payment plans are available for substantial engagements.

Absolutely—we provide comprehensive remote consultation services for clients throughout the UK and internationally.

Remote consultations use secure video conferencing platforms (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or your preferred platform) with equivalent effectiveness to in-person meetings.

Many clients actually prefer remote consultations: • Save travel time • Allow flexible scheduling • Enable participation from anywhere • Facilitate easier follow-up meetings

Remote service includes: • Secure document sharing via encrypted portals • Electronic signature capabilities for engagement documents • Video consultation recordings (with permission) for your reference • Regular video or phone progress updates throughout our engagement

We've developed sophisticated remote working capabilities refined over recent years, allowing us to serve international clients seamlessly. However, in-person consultations remain available at our office for clients who prefer face-to-face meetings or live locally.

Hybrid arrangements are also common—initial meeting in-person, subsequent meetings remote. The service quality and expertise are identical regardless of format.

Response times vary by inquiry urgency:

HMRC investigation matters marked urgent: We typically respond within 2-4 hours during business hours (9am-6pm Monday-Friday).

Standard inquiries: Expect response within 24 hours during business days, though often much faster.

Complex inquiries: Those requiring research or team consultation may take 24-48 hours for comprehensive response.

If your matter has an approaching deadline (HMRC response due, court date, time-limited opportunity), please clearly indicate this in your initial contact—we prioritize deadline-driven matters accordingly.

Our team monitors communications throughout the business day. For existing clients with ongoing engagements, response times are typically faster as we maintain active file knowledge.

If you haven't received a response within the expected timeframe, please contact us again—occasionally emails are misdirected or technical issues occur. We're committed to responsive, timely communication at all engagement stages.

Yes—absolute confidentiality is fundamental to our practice.

All consultations and client communications are protected by professional confidentiality obligations governing chartered accountants.

We maintain strict information security practices including: • Encrypted email communications • Secure document portals • Confidential meeting spaces • Restricted file access limited to engagement team members • Comprehensive data protection compliance (UK GDPR)

For matters involving potential criminal prosecution risk, we work through our criminal defence partnerships to establish legal professional privilege—a stronger protection than accountant-client confidentiality, preventing compulsory disclosure of communications even to law enforcement or courts.

We never disclose client information without explicit consent except where legal obligations require disclosure (anti-money laundering reporting, court orders).

Our reputation has been built over 38 years on trust and discretion—confidentiality isn't just a legal obligation but a core value. If you have specific confidentiality concerns given your profile or circumstances, we can discuss additional protective measures during consultation.

We serve clients throughout the United Kingdom and internationally.

Our UK client base spans England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland—HMRC investigation and UK tax matters are federal issues where physical location is largely irrelevant. Remote consultation capabilities allow us to serve clients anywhere effectively.

We have particular expertise in international tax matters for: • Individuals emigrating from or immigrating to the UK (regardless of origin or destination country) • US citizens living in the UK • Clients with multi-jurisdictional business operations • Families with global wealth structures

For international tax planning, we coordinate with overseas advisors in your residence or citizenship countries, ensuring integrated advice across all relevant jurisdictions.

While we specialize in UK tax law, our cross-border experience covers most major economies—US, EU countries, Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and Commonwealth nations. If your matter involves unusual jurisdictions, we maintain an international advisor network providing specialist expertise when needed.