The FFT team recently attended a business expo in Manchester called JCommerce which brings the Jewish community in our area together for networking and connection building.

As a Jewish-led accounting firm, it was great to see so many business owners there, all looking for growth opportunities and new relationships.

Here are some of the conversations we had…

With construction industry professionals

It is always insightful speaking with professionals across the construction industry, and Yisroel had several in-depth conversations throughout the event.

He spoke about the complexity of VAT in construction, particularly how different types of work, subcontractor arrangements and reverse charge rules can quickly create confusion if they are not managed carefully.

He also discussed the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS), focusing on the compliance pressures it places on contractors and the common pitfalls that can lead to cashflow issues or unexpected tax exposure.

With another attendee, Yisroel explored efficient profit extraction, sharing practical considerations around how business owners in the construction sector can take money out of their companies in a tax-efficient way while remaining compliant and protecting long-term growth.

With property investors

I spoke with numerous property business owners and investors and a key question kept coming up:

“What is the best structure for purchasing properties?”

It is an understandable question.

With ongoing changes to tax rules, financing constraints and increased scrutiny from HMRC, the way a property is purchased now matters far more than it did a few years ago.

I found that many people assumed there was a single ‘best’ structure, but in reality this depends heavily on the individual’s wider financial position, long-term plans, and whether the property is held for income, development, or future sale.

In my view, the biggest risk is making structural decisions in isolation.

Choosing between personal ownership, a limited company, partnerships or group structures without considering cashflow, exit strategy, financing, and future tax exposure can quickly lead to inefficiencies or costly restructuring later on.

Getting this right at the outset can make a significant difference not just to tax efficiency, but to flexibility and long-term growth.

As a side note, several landlords wanted to discuss the correct reporting for service charge accounts – which should be prepared on a trust basis.

This is done separately from the landlord’s own accounts, with income and expenditure reported for each service charge period and any surpluses or deficits carried forward for the benefit of the leaseholders.

With fellow professionals

It was amazing to see how many fellow professionals and advisers were at the event.

As a minor note, we were all keen to improve our cross-referrals and work together to achieve our individual goals.

Of course, we discussed both the macro and micro:

• “How long has FFT been around?”
• “Are you a paperless firm yet?”
• “How did you react to the Budget announcement?”

The classic questions that solicitors, financial advisers and accountants all ask each other whenever they meet up!

With business owners

Between the three of us, we all had conversations with small and medium business owners – our bread and butter.

We heard first-hand about the practical challenges they face, the decisions they are weighing up, and the areas where they need clear, commercial advice rather than generic answers.

Specifically, I spoke to a few attendees about ways to save on Corporation Tax so, if you’re in need of that advice, feel free to reach out and I’d be happy to go over it with you!

Would we go back again?

The JCommerce Business Expo was one of the best events I’ve been to in recent years.

I cannot thank the organisers, our fellow delegates and the attendees enough for making it a really worthwhile event.

It felt personal and community focused and I hope that we helped a few people out with advice on the day and potentially work with them in the future.

We’re planning on attending more business events in Manchester and the Northwest in 2026 so, if you’re interested in meeting up, perhaps you’ll catch us at one!

In the meantime, if you’d like advice or guidance on a specific issue – or you missed us at JCommerce, please feel free to get in touch!

Speak to the team on 01618342574 or visit our contact page.