CTA, ATA, AFA, MIPA, ATT (Fellow)
A client once called Simon “the Godfather of Tax”. Not because of control, but because of his directness.
Simon is the person clients and professional advisers call when the tax issue has become too important to guess. He advises on SDLT, LTT, LBTT, private client tax and complex property-related matters, including reliefs, higher rates, mixed-use property, partnerships, corporate reconstructions, overseas purchasers, trusts, succession planning and HMRC enquiries.
His approach is direct, forensic and practical. He does not make tax sound more mysterious than it needs to be. The rules are complicated enough already. Simon identifies the real issue, explains the risk and gives clients a clear route forward.
He works with private clients, companies, trustees, property investors, developers, solicitors, conveyancers, accountants and other professional advisers. Clients come to him where transactions are valuable, unusual or time-sensitive, or where a specialist opinion is needed before a tax return, structure or course of action is finalised.
Simon is an established author and technical commentator on stamp taxes and wider property taxation.
He is an expert author for LexisNexis, contributing specialist content on Stamp Duty Land Tax and Land Transaction Tax. His LexisNexis Meet the Experts profile recognises his work across SDLT, LTT, LBTT, private client tax and complex property matters.
Simon has now been appointed Co-editor of Monroe & Nock on the Law of Stamp Duties, published by Thomson Reuters. It is the premier reference source on stamp taxes, including SDLT, LTT and LBTT, and is used by leading barristers, lawyers and tax professionals. Working alongside the existing co-editor, Simon is responsible for maintaining and developing its authoritative commentary and practical guidance on property taxation.
Simon has written for leading professional publications, including:
He is also the named author and maintainer of the Stamp Duty Land Tax section of RICS isurv, providing technical guidance used by professionals across the property and surveying sectors. He writes in the same way that he advises: directly, technically and with a firm eye on how the legislation works in practice.
Simon regularly discusses tax through podcasts and professional commentary, including BHP’s The Property Planet. Topics have included SDLT cases, HMRC enquiries, property-business incorporations, VAT, professional risk and wider developments affecting property owners and advisers.
Simon sits on the Property Taxes Sub-Committee of the Chartered Institute of Taxation’s Technical Policy and Oversight Committee, contributing to consultation and technical scrutiny of proposed tax legislation.
Simon is completing postgraduate study in Taxation at the University of Oxford. He has also recently begun studying for examinations offered by the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), focusing on advising family units, UK estates and cross-border trust arrangements. He is currently preparing his dissertation for Fellowship of the Chartered Institute of Taxation.
Simon gives a view. He will not bury the answer beneath qualifications unless those qualifications genuinely matter. He explains what the legislation means, identifies where the risk sits and tells clients what should happen next.
Outside work, Simon practises Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He won silver medals at the European IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championships in 2025 and 2026 and competed at the 2026 IBJJF World Master Jiu-Jitsu Championship in Las Vegas, reaching the medal-qualifying stage before losing by submission.
Bell Howley Perrotton LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales under number OC353525. Registered office: 20-22 Wenlock Road, London, N1 7GU. VAT number: GB 991703492.
BHP Advisory Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales under number 15240401. Registered office: 53 Davies Street, Mayfair, London, W1K 5JH. VAT number: GB 484722859.
