Gm Professional Accountants

24/06/2026

London builders are your site leases ready for the 2026 rule change?

From 1 January 2026, IFRS 16 lease accounting is no longer just for listed companies. If you run a construction business in London and lease your yard, plant equipment, scaffolding, or site offices, this directly affects how your balance sheet, P&L, and bonding capacity are calculated.

Under the new rules, operating leases come onto your balance sheet. What used to sit off the books now shows as a liability. For builders chasing contracts, PQQ submissions, or bank lending, this changes the numbers that matter.

Here's what we're seeing across London sites right now:

- Debt-to-equity ratios rising — affecting bonding and surety limits
- EBITDA improving on paper — but cash flow still under pressure
- Plant hire and equipment leases now need full disclosure — even short-term agreements

The good news? If you act now, there's still time to restructure lease agreements, update management accounts, and brief your lenders before year-end catches you out.

Drop your answer below:
Have you reviewed how your equipment and yard leases will appear on your balance sheet under the 2026 rules?

Yes — already on it,
Not yet — need help
Heard of it, unsure
First I've heard of it

Share in the comments how many leases your business currently holds. Plant, vehicles, yard space? Let's get a sense of who's most exposed.

23/06/2026

PAYE or CIS subcontractor? One wrong call = HMRC penalty.

Here's how to get it right.

Link in Comments| GM Professional Accountants

22/06/2026

A lot of London construction firm owners assume they need a statutory audit every year. But that's not always the case, and paying for one unnecessarily is money straight off the bottom line.

Under the Companies Act, you're generally exempt if you meet at least 2 of these 3 thresholds:

✔Turnover under £10.2 million
✔Balance sheet total under £5.1 million
✔Fewer than 50 employees

But here's where it gets tricky for construction businesses: CIS income, retentions, and subcontractor payments can all skew your reported turnover and push you over thresholds unexpectedly. And if you're part of a group structure or have external investors, audit requirements can kick in regardless.

💬We're seeing more London contractors overpaying for audits they don't legally require, especially sole director-owned Ltd companies in the £2M–£8M turnover range.

Drop a comment below: Does your firm currently get audited? Do you know if you actually need to? Happy to give a quick steer.

18/06/2026

Your turnover might be quietly disqualifying your business from contracts you could absolutely deliver.

There's an unwritten rule buried inside most procurement frameworks — public sector, corporate supply chains, NHS tenders. It's called the 2x Turnover Rule, and it quietly knocks out thousands of London SMEs every year before the scoring even starts.

How it works: If a contract is worth £500k, many buyers require your annual turnover to be at least £1 million — 2x the contract value. No exceptions. No appeals.

If your accounts don't show that number, your bid is returned. Not reviewed. Returned.

We've seen this hit strong, capable businesses — agencies, consultants, service firms — who had the delivery capacity but not the right financial picture on paper.

Three things worth checking now:
1. Are your filed accounts showing true turnover — or are retained earnings pulling it down?
2. Could a consortium or subcontracting arrangement make you eligible for larger contracts?
3. Is your business structure limiting the turnover you can demonstrate on paper?

This is one of those issues where a conversation with your accountant — before you bid, not after rejection — can genuinely change the outcome.

Have you ever lost a bid to this rule — or found a way around it? Share below. This community learns best from real experience.

17/06/2026

Things a Buyer Checks Before You Win a Construction Tender
Most contractors lose tenders before the price is even read.

Here is what buyers actually look for first:
✅ 1. Financial stability — Can you actually deliver without going under mid-project?
✅ 2. Compliance and accreditations — CIS, insurance, H&S policies. Gaps here disqualify fast.
✅ 3. Clear, structured accounts — Messy books signal risk. Tidy financials signal credibility.
Have you ever lost a tender you thought you had won? Drop a comment — we would love to hear your experience.

20/05/2026

🏠 Join our GMPA Landlord Club — it's free
👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/propertytaxunveiledthegmpalandlordhub/

Are you a UK landlord overpaying tax?

We've put together two free resources for landlords inside our private group:

📋 MTD Readiness Checklist 2026
💷 3 Tax Strategies Most Landlords Miss
Free to download the moment you join.

👇 Join here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/propertytaxunveiledthegmpalandlordhub/

General information only. Tax advice varies by individual circumstance.

12/05/2026

Join our free group for London and Essex landlords here 👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/propertytaxunveiledthegmpalandlordhub/
The Renters' Rights Act is now law. Are you a London or Essex landlord who knows exactly where you stand?
Fines of up to £40,000 are now possible for landlords with compliance gaps. We built a free 2-minute compliance checker exclusively for members of our group so you can find out where you might need to act.
It covers Section 21, tenancy agreements, rent increases, pet requests and more.
👇 Join the free group to access it now.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/propertytaxunveiledthegmpalandlordhub/
For general guidance only. Not legal or financial advice. Always seek independent professional guidance for your specific circumstances.

07/05/2026

The Renters' Rights Act is now law. Are you a London or Essex landlord who knows exactly where you stand?

Fines of up to £40,000 are now possible for landlords with compliance gaps. We built a free 2-minute checker so you can find out where you might need to act.

It covers Section 21, tenancy agreements, rent increases, pet requests and more.

Take the free checker here — no sign up required.

https://gmprofessionalaccountants.co.uk/renters-rights-actcompliance-checker/

For general guidance only. Not legal or financial advice. Always seek independent professional guidance for your specific circumstances.

Renters' Rights Act Compliance Checker | GMPA Landlord Hub Free Tool — Just Launched Renters' Rights ActCompliance Checker The biggest

28/04/2026

🚨 UK Landlords — 2 things hitting your pocket right now:
1. Section 24 — You're likely paying MORE tax than you should on your mortgage interest
2. MTD (Making Tax Digital) — From April 2026, quarterly reporting is mandatory. Are you ready?
We break both down — for free — every week inside our private group.
👇 Join Property Tax Unveiled — The GMPA Landlord Hub

https://www.facebook.com/groups/propertytaxunveiledthegmpalandlordhub/