Umbrella advice: Consultant Technologies???

[stelio]

Hi all,
what do you think about "Consultant Technologies"?

they use a Share option schema ( http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/shareschemes/...w-guidance.htm ) on private equity in Consultant Technologies to maximize earnings.

have you any heard about them? do you think they are compliant to HMRC?

they say:
"In addition to the Basic Salary offered, we are also prepared to offer you EMI Share Options, in accordance with the EMI Share Option Scheme. These shares will be offered to you at a rate determined by the company and approved by HMRC from time to time. These shares can be sold on at a later date and with the correct timing the profit derived from the sale of these shares can attract zero tax. We are aware that with the salary offered you will be hard pressed to purchase these shares in order to sell them on, and for this reason the company is willing to lend you the funds required to purchase these shares when the option is exercised. The Share Options granted to you will be based on the profitability of your project (Contract). A percentage of the project's profit will be paid into your account, along with your Basic Salary, Leave Pay and any reimbursed Expenses. This loan will be settled once you have purchased the shares and sold them on. The loan will however attract interest until it is settled, but we have worked this into the calculation below, which has been supplied, in order to demonstrate the advantages of this salary package over other more commonly used packages:
.....

"

[Alan @ BroomeAffinity]

I smell spam

[oracleslave]

I smell spam

Indeed. It reeks of spam.

[malvolio]

Nah. It just reeks. Walk away...

[stelio]

additional info on Consultant Technologies

that's are other info I got on this company:
I am not an expert but it seem involving imprtant names as PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Lawrence Grant, Chartered Accountants, Geneva Group.
my only worry is that it seem too good....

I also found this other post:
http://forums.contractoruk.com/accou...used-them.html


"Consultant Technologies Ltd promotes its offering as a “best of both” approach, combining the freedom of independent contracting with the security and benefits of permanent corporate employment, an approach that they maintain offers their contractors “remuneration packages and administrative services beyond the scope of a typical umbrella company.”

They help their IT contractors keep a higher percentage of their earnings through a payroll structure developed and administered by the UK’s leading accounting firm, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, and guarantee their employees’ IR35 compliance under existing contracts with the support of their partner consultants and auditors, Lawrence Grant, Chartered Accountants, a highly-respected UK accounting firm for over 30 years, and a member of the Geneva Group.

Consultant technologies offer a streamlined online billing and administration service, including expense reports, invoicing, and doing their employees’ annual tax returns. Other benefits include professional indemnity and liability insurance, a stakeholder pension fund, proactive networking with preferred recruitment agencies, helping their employees find their next contract, holiday and sick leave, as well as a company mobile phone and discounted broadband access.

They enforce no restrictions or obligations to remain with them for a minimum period, offer free online assessments for prospective employees to check their IR35 status and to evaluate how much more they could be earning by joining their firm, and offer some of the most lucrative referral incentives in the industry.

Consultant Technologies maintains a close watch on developments in the tax laws and corporate governance regulations through a senior partnership relationship with their accounting and auditing firms, as well as negotiating corporate discounts and deals on products and services ranging from computer hardware and software to finance packages and discounted airline fares, to ensure that their employees “earn more by doing less.”
See the latest on the proposed MSC legislation, and how Consultant Technologies Ltd was independently assessed as being a safe haven for contractors.

They make no apologies concerning their higher-than-average fees, pointing out that their contractors net more than they would elsewhere, and maintaining that “you get what you pay for.”

Consultant Technologies’ personal communications and quality administrative service have earned them awards and preferred partner status with several recruitment agencies."