Far East Desk
Where East Meets Expertise. Your UK Finances, in Safe Hands.
The Far East Desk at Leftley Rowe provides specialist advice for high-net-worth individuals and overseas property owners from Hong Kong, China, Singapore, and Southeast Asia. We focus on UK tax compliance, wealth protection, and succession planning—so you can confidently manage your finances across borders.
High-Net-Worth Individuals
Your wealth, protected. Your future in the UK, planned with care.
Building and protecting significant wealth across borders is one of the most complex financial challenges a family can face. For high-net-worth individuals from Hong Kong, China, Singapore, and Southeast Asia who have investments, property, or family members in the United Kingdom, the UK tax system introduces a layer of complexity that demands specialist, experienced advice — not a general accountant who handles it occasionally, but a team that does this every day.
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At Leftley Rowe, our Far East Desk has been built around exactly this. We advise high-net-worth individuals and wealthy families from the Asia-Pacific region on the full range of UK private tax matters, with a clear focus on protecting what they have worked hard to build, minimising unnecessary tax exposure within the law, and planning thoughtfully for the generations ahead.
UK Inheritance Tax, for example, applies to all UK-situated assets — regardless of where you live — at a rate of 40% above the nil-rate band threshold. Without careful structuring, a UK property portfolio or a London-based business interest could represent a significant and avoidable liability for your estate. We review your position holistically and put the right structures in place, whether that involves trusts, gifting strategies, business relief, or a combination of approaches tailored to your family’s circumstances.
Capital Gains Tax on UK property disposals is another area requiring active attention. Non-residents who sell UK residential or commercial property must report the gain and pay any tax due within 60 days of completion — a tight deadline with real penalties for missing it. We handle the reporting, calculate your liability accurately, and ensure all available reliefs are claimed.
Whatever stage you are at — early-stage UK investment, growing your presence here, or planning for the long term — we offer a calm, clear, and thoroughly personal service. Our partner Joe Lee will take the time to understand your full situation before recommending anything, and our fixed-fee model means there are never any surprises in what you pay for our support.
Areas we advise on for HNW individuals
Overseas Landlords
Own UK property from afar. We handle every tax obligation for you.
Owning rental property in the United Kingdom while living overseas is an increasingly common and rewarding investment strategy for families from Hong Kong, China, Singapore, and across Southeast Asia. The UK property market offers long-term capital growth potential, a transparent legal framework, and a deep pool of reliable tenants in major cities. But with that opportunity comes a clear and unavoidable set of tax obligations – and meeting them correctly, on time, every year, is not optional.
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HMRC’s Non-Resident Landlord (NRL) scheme exists specifically to regulate how overseas property owners account for their UK rental income. If you are not a UK resident, your letting agent or tenant is — by default — legally required to deduct 20% basic rate tax from your rental income before passing it to you, and to pay that amount directly to HMRC on your behalf. For many landlords, this comes as an unwelcome surprise and results in a significant cash flow impact that could easily have been avoided.
The solution is straightforward: by applying to HMRC for approval under the NRL scheme, you can receive your full rental income gross and settle your UK tax liability through an annual Self-Assessment Tax Return instead. We manage this process entirely on your behalf — from the initial NRL application through to every annual filing — so you never need to navigate HMRC directly, and nothing ever falls through the cracks.
Our overseas landlord service covers everything your UK property requires from a tax perspective. We prepare and file your Self-Assessment Tax Return each year, ensuring all allowable expenses are correctly claimed — mortgage interest (subject to current rules), letting agent fees, maintenance and repairs, insurance, service charges, and more. We advise you on your tax liability well ahead of payment deadlines, help you understand any changes in legislation that affect your position, and assist with any HMRC enquiries should they arise.
For landlords with multiple UK properties, we manage all of them under a single, fixed annual fee — so your portfolio can grow without your accounting costs growing disproportionately. We also advise on the tax implications of selling UK property as a non-resident, and on structuring decisions such as whether to hold property personally or through a corporate vehicle.
We understand that managing a UK property from the other side of the world requires absolute confidence in the people you have trusted to handle it. Our Far East Desk clients tell us that what they value most is the peace of mind that comes from knowing their UK obligations are in expert hands — and that there is always someone they can reach directly when they need reassurance
What our overseas landlord service covers
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Contact us today to discuss your audit and assurance requirements.