Anti Bribery and Corruption Framework for SMEs
A written anti bribery and corruption policy isn't enough for most UK SMEs. A defensible anti bribery and corruption framework must show that the business identified its actual exposure, checked the people and organisations acting on its behalf, managed conflicts of interest, trained relevant staff and tested whether controls worked in practice. The right question […]
Risk Assessment Checklist: 8 Key Reviews
A useful risk assessment checklist identifies the risk, affected process, evidence, likelihood, impact, existing controls, control effectiveness, owner and remediation deadline. The eight reviews below cover the main financial and operational exposures in scope, using a consistent method rather than a universal scoring threshold. Could a completed form still conceal the most important risk because […]
Resolving a Partnership Dispute in the UK
A partner stops sharing bank information, drawings change without explanation, and the other owner discovers that important decisions were made without approval. For a UK business, a partnership dispute can quickly become a question of who owns the assets, who owes money to the firm, how profits should be divided, and whether the business can […]
Contingent Consideration in UK Deals: A Practical Guide
Contingent consideration is an obligation to transfer additional assets, equity or cash to the seller if specified future events occur. Under IFRS 3, the buyer must recognise it at fair value on the acquisition date even if payment isn't probable. A buyer may therefore sign a deal with a headline price that looks settled, while […]
Financial Risk Assessment: A Practical UK Guide
A financial risk assessment identifies events that could cause financial harm, estimates their cost and tests the controls in place. It explains the evidence behind each rating. Finance directors, insurers and solicitors can use that evidence to make decisions, plan improvements or scope further loss analysis. Estimated risk exposure must remain separate from a calculation […]
Investment Due Diligence: A Practical UK Guide
Investment due diligence goes beyond checking the accounts. A UK investment review should test whether reported earnings, assets and liabilities reflect economic reality. It should also examine the target's operations, technology, people, regulatory position, counterparties and resilience. The findings help buyers, investors, lenders and boards assess value, negotiate terms or decide against a transaction. Table […]
Risk Assessment Review: A Practical Guide for UK Businesses
A finance director often discovers the problem during an insurance renewal, a lender query or a regulatory request. The risk file exists, but the controls were written for an earlier business, the owners have moved on and recent incidents sit in separate folders. A risk assessment review is a structured, evidence-based reassessment of whether an […]
Source of Wealth Verification Explained for UK Clients
Source of wealth verification assesses the origin of a client's entire body of wealth through the economic, business or commercial activity that generated their overall net worth. UK anti-money-laundering rules require enhanced checks in higher-risk situations, including certain relationships involving politically exposed persons, high-risk third countries and FATF call for action countries. A finance director […]
Landlord Tenant Dispute: A Practical UK Guide
In this illustrative scenario, a regional retailer has fallen two quarters behind on rent after a supply-chain shock. The landlord's lease administrator has issued a demand, the tenant's finance director is disputing part of the balance, and both sides are considering solicitors. A landlord tenant dispute needs reliable financial evidence alongside timely legal advice. The […]
Fraudulent Mortgage Loans Explained and How to Detect Them
A file lands on a solicitor's desk after completion. The borrower's payslips look tidy, the valuation looked plausible at the time, and the mortgage has already funded. Then a missed payment, a title query, or an insurer's question exposes a deeper problem. A fraudulent mortgage loan is a loan obtained, supported, or protected by dishonest […]