SCA Tax launches SDLT review service ahead of HMRC registration changes

Manchester, United Kingdom Jan 22, 2026 (EMWNews.com) – HMRC’s confirmation that filing Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) returns will fall within the scope of new tax adviser registration rules is set to increase the compliance burden on conveyancing teams at a time when many are already stretched.

With the changes due to take effect from May 2026, specialist SDLT advisers SCA Tax have launched Post Complete – a workflow-led SDLT calculation and review service designed to help firms handle complex SDLT positions with confidence, without creating delays or additional pressure on fee earners.

Post Complete has been built to give firms a scalable safeguard as scrutiny increases. Every transaction is reviewed by tax-qualified specialists, and firms receive clear, audit-ready documentation for client files, including a professional PDF Tax Calculation Certificate and supporting assessment breakdown.

Each calculation is also backed by specialist professional indemnity insurance underwritten by Allianz, providing added reassurance where SDLT positions must be accurate, robust and properly evidenced.

The launch follows HMRC’s confirmation that filing SDLT returns is treated as tax advice for the purposes of the proposed tax adviser registration regime set out in the Finance Bill 2025-26.

Further guidance is expected later this month, but the direction of travel is clear: more accountability, tighter expectations and greater financial risk for firms where SDLT submissions are incorrect, inconsistent or poorly supported.

Post Complete provides a structured process for all SDLT scenarios without slowing down completions. Firms create an account, add a client record and submit the transaction for review. SCA Tax’s specialist team then gathers the information required to complete the assessment, including where transactions involve reliefs, exemptions, mixed-use claims, multiple dwellings or surcharges.

Safeguards for firms include:

• Tax-qualified staff reviewing every transaction
• A professional PDF Tax Calculation Certificate confirming the SDLT position
• A clear assessment breakdown for audit-ready client files
• Delivery in line with HMRC’s Standards for Agents and Agent Conduct requirements
• Specialist professional indemnity insurance underwritten by Allianz supporting each calculation

Matthew Gannon, an AAT-qualified tax specialist and SDLT expert who joined SCA Tax from PwC last year to lead the Post Complete team, said: “We know these changes are coming, and there’s no benefit in waiting for the final guidance before firms start putting stronger processes in place. SDLT already creates pressure points in transactions – the last thing the market needs is completions being delayed because teams are forced to rebuild their approach overnight.

“Post Complete is designed to help property professionals stay ahead of the change, keep transactions moving, and make sure SDLT positions are properly assessed and documented.

“We launched earlier this month, and we’re already speaking to conveyancing firms and the wider property chain – including estate agents, auction houses, mortgage brokers and financial advisers – because this affects everyone involved in getting deals over the line.

“If we want the market to move, we need processes that reduce delays and rework, not add to them.”

Post Complete is offered on a straightforward per-calculation basis with no subscription tiers. Pricing starts from £50 for personal purchases and £100 for business purchases, with monthly invoicing available. Firms can also recharge the cost as a disbursement where appropriate.

SCA Tax is a specialist SDLT advisory firm focused solely on land transaction taxes. Since launching in 2024, it has supported more than 7,000 clients and completed over 20,000 SDLT calculation requests, helping law firms and property buyers improve confidence and reduce risk in complex transactions.

Further information relating to Post Complete is available here: Post Complete | Professional SDLT Review Service