Castlemaine Associates Ltd - Petition to Wind Up

[armando1065]

Has anyone heard anything from anyone at Castlemaine Associates (previously Horizon and other entities). Tried contacting them a few weeks back as they are were replying to HMRC on my and a few other behalf and found that HMRC have issued a petition to wind them up. We have tried to contact the usual people who have taken a fair amount of money off us to continue the correspondence with HMRC and fight back but also nothing at all back. Any advice or information would be greatly appreciated.

[Gyumri]

Has anyone heard anything from anyone at Castlemaine Associates (previously Horizon and other entities). Tried contacting them a few weeks back as they are were replying to HMRC on my and a few other behalf and found that HMRC have issued a petition to wind them up. We have tried to contact the usual people who have taken a fair amount of money off us to continue the correspondence with HMRC and fight back but also nothing at all back. Any advice or information would be greatly appreciated.

If they've gone belly-up then that could be a problem for people who have spent money with them. Also where does that leave the position with HMRC? I suspect that it your other concern. They were always problematic to contact anyway - that should have been a tell-tale sign that something was not quite right.

[cojak]

Sadly I'm unable to move this to the HMRC Scheme Enquiries - Contractor UK Bulletin Board forum anymore as this thread would have gone straight there.

Here is the Wind Up Petition in full CASTLEMAINE ASSOCIATES LTD | Petitions to Wind Up (Companies) | The Gazette

Also, you may find this thread helpful: A question about recovery of money - Contractor UK Bulletin Board

[cojak]

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but you'll know more after the 9th April, which is when the petition will be heard. I suspect that Castlemaine has gone to ground and you'll hear no more from them.

[Water Dude]

No replies from Castlemaine Associates Ltd, but I and others have received emails from Go Accountancy & Outsourcing which seems to have significant control (companies house website). Requesting additional money to continue fighting.

[cojak]

No replies from Castlemaine Associates Ltd, but I and others have received emails from Go Accountancy & Outsourcing which seems to have significant control (companies house website). Requesting additional money to continue fighting.

Well we all know what to do with that email, don’t we?



And I’ll just add what I’ve said before…

…Contractors have attempted to join class action in an to attempt to fight HMRC, but generally they have simply thrown good money after bad (search ‘class action’ in this forum).

The only thing that appears to work is to get a reputable tax specialist to negotiate with HMRC the sums involved and the best way to pay.

[WTFH]

No replies from Castlemaine Associates Ltd, but I and others have received emails from Go Accountancy & Outsourcing which seems to have significant control (companies house website). Requesting additional money to continue fighting.

There's an interesting rabbit hole you could go down involving Callum Robert Alexander Trew and Aileen Fraser Trew (who also has used the surname Ritchie)

https://find-and-update.company-info...8/appointments
https://find-and-update.company-info...I/appointments
https://find-and-update.company-info...Y/appointments
https://find-and-update.company-info...Q/appointments
It's possible she even owns a film company... https://find-and-update.company-info...mpany/SC259805

Lots of rabbit holes to go down, but a rather funny one is that it looks like Callum and his brother Harry have their own "Invetsment" company:
C&H INVETSMENTS LTD
https://find-and-update.company-info...60011/officers
Where 19 year old Harry is a Trainee Tax Avoider, sorry, Advisor.

[Water Dude]

I think we made a massive mistake with this and just had no idea how to get out of it so we have stayed with them.
We went along with their advice, back in 17 to 19 and repaid the loans, via an entity they had in Bulgaria
Of which they kept a portion to pay tax man, which then got mysteriously held in Bulgaria.

Now 5 years down the line, no idea where we are with this and no idea what to do except stick with them.

[courtg9000]

Is this the same Castlemaine, that was very heavily sold to UK contractors working in the Republic of Ireland about 25 years ago?? An IoM scheme?
They were paying the RoI agents for every lead they could.
I can tell a stroty about one of their reps at a do.... Makes Katie Price and Danille westbrook look like good catholic choir girls with their virtues in tact.

[cojak]

I think we made a massive mistake with this and just had no idea how to get out of it so we have stayed with them.
We went along with their advice, back in 17 to 19 and repaid the loans, via an entity they had in Bulgaria
Of which they kept a portion to pay tax man, which then got mysteriously held in Bulgaria.

Now 5 years down the line, no idea where we are with this and no idea what to do except stick with them.

It is NOT a good idea to do this - speak to a professional tax advisor who will help you with this. Anyone else just sees you as a sucker ready to be squeezed for more money.

Please look at Sunk Cost Fallacy: https://www.forbes.com/councils/forb...ses-and-pivot/

There are a couple of tax specialists posters here have used in the following posts: https://forums.contractoruk.com/hmrc...ml#post3012123