Act early.
Build the evidence.
Control the response.

We act on behalf of companies and directors in dealings with Inland Revenue (IRD) in New Zealand, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) in the United Kingdom. Work includes instalment and payment arrangements, penalty and interest remission requests, hardship and relief applications, and voluntary disclosures.

We establish the liability, review enforcement correspondence and cash flow, and prepare the evidence behind a proposal. In the UK this can include a Time to Pay arrangement; in New Zealand and Australia we work with the relevant instalment or payment-plan process. Relief depends on local rules and the facts of the case: an application or negotiation does not itself suspend enforcement.

We represent companies facing creditor enforcement, assessing grounds to oppose a demand or application, preparing court and affidavit material, and coordinating representation through to the hearing. We work with appropriately qualified local lawyers and barristers for reserved legal work and court appearances, according to the jurisdiction and agreed scope.

New Zealand matters may involve statutory demands, applications to set them aside and liquidation applications. Australian matters may involve statutory demands, set-aside applications and winding-up applications. UK matters may involve statutory demands and winding-up petitions, with procedure differing between England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. We review the actual document, service date, forum and grounds in dispute rather than assuming one country’s process applies in another.

Financial distress rarely arrives as one isolated dispute. We manage matters involving tax authorities, contractual counterparties and other creditors, bringing correspondence, evidence and negotiation positions into a coordinated plan.

We coordinate legal counsel, barristers, accountants and other advisers so directors know who is responsible for each step, which deadlines matter and what decisions are required. The client has one clear point of contact throughout, while jurisdiction-specific legal advice and representation remain with the relevant qualified professionals.

A creditor proposal needs reliable numbers. We help correct books and ledgers, reconcile liabilities and bank balances, identify missing returns and bring statutory filings up to date. That work supports cash-flow forecasts, repayment proposals and an informed assessment of whether the business is viable.

Our work covers New Zealand GST and PAYE, Australian GST and PAYG obligations, and UK VAT and PAYE. We coordinate with the client’s accountants and relevant local specialists to resolve discrepancies and distinguish assessed liabilities from estimates or disputed amounts. Remediation supports negotiations; it does not guarantee a concession from a creditor or tax authority.

We assess trading performance, cash flow, funding needs and creditor exposure to help directors compare realistic options. Work can include refinancing, negotiated restructuring and broader commercial analysis to support director decision-making under financial pressure.

Formal tools vary by jurisdiction: voluntary administration may be relevant in New Zealand and Australia, small business restructuring is an Australian process for eligible companies, and company voluntary arrangements (CVAs) are a UK tool. We assess suitability and coordinate with locally qualified legal advisers and insolvency practitioners where a formal appointment or regulated role is required. No single process is suitable for every company.

ValidaOS supports the work behind advisory matters: client intake, document collection, task allocation, correspondence, deadlines and reporting. It connects practice workflows across tax debt, disputes, financial remediation and restructuring, reducing repeated administration and keeping matter information organised.

We build and sell ValidaOS as a product for client businesses and practices, with implementation scoped around their processes and systems. AI supports the workflow; it does not replace professional judgement, legal advice or director responsibility. The voice experience on this site is an illustration, not a live adviser or a representation that every integration is available in every deployment.

At first contact, tell us the jurisdiction, company name, authority or creditor involved, the document received and any stated deadline. We identify the immediate issues, request the key records and establish the scope of work, the advisers required and who will coordinate the matter.

Engagement letters, scoping and fee agreements set out what we will do and on what terms. Once agreed and the necessary authorisations are in place, we can move into representation and implementation. Sending an enquiry does not create an engagement or extend a statutory deadline: if a demand or hearing is pending, state that clearly at the outset.