A Newcastle tax specialist based in the former home of famed Victorian naturalist John Hancock has expanded his business amid growing concern that hundreds of thousands of landlords and self-employed people remain unprepared for sweeping changes to the UK’s tax system.
Martin Wardle, founder of TH Ward Tax Consultancy, has recruited a new team member and taken on his first apprentice as demand for advice continues to grow following the introduction of HMRC’s Making Tax Digital programme.
The business, located opposite the Hancock Museum in Newcastle, occupies the former home of John Hancock, whose collections helped establish one of the North East’s best-known museums.
“There is actually a portrait of John Hancock on the ground floor, and my office is in what I presume was one of his former studies or bedrooms,” said Martin. “It’s a fantastic building with a remarkable history.”
But while the building is steeped in history, Martin’s focus is firmly on the future, particularly the rollout of HMRC’s Making Tax Digital (MTD) programme.
Martin launched TH Ward in 2025 after more than 30 years working in tax, a career he entered through a Youth Training Scheme placement in the early 1990s.
“I never dreamed of becoming a tax adviser,” he admitted. “I simply ended up in a tax department, discovered I enjoyed it and built a career from there.”
After a health scare prompted him to reassess his future, Martin decided to establish his own consultancy.
“You always hear people say you’ll regret the things you didn’t do more than the things you did,” he said. “I had always wanted to run my own business and eventually decided it was time to give it a go.”
The move has proved successful, with the consultancy now advising hundreds of clients particularly landlords and property owners. 90% of his clients are in the region with other landlords based both nationally and overseas.
However, Martin believes many landlords remain unaware of their obligations under Making Tax Digital, which requires qualifying taxpayers to maintain digital records and submit quarterly updates to HMRC.
“This is a change that has been talked about for almost a decade, yet there are still huge numbers of people who either don’t know it applies to them or don’t understand what they need to do,” he said.
“For years people have completed one tax return annually. Now many will have to use software and report quarterly instead. That’s a major shift and it’s causing genuine confusion.”
Martin says landlords are particularly affected by a wave of new legislation and compliance requirements, with many seeking advice for the first time.
“Some people actively choose to become landlords, while others inherit a property unexpectedly and suddenly find themselves responsible for tax returns and compliance requirements they know very little about,” he said.
“One of the biggest issues is that people don’t always know what they can legitimately claim as expenses or what needs to be declared. Good advice can save people a lot of worry and potentially a lot of money.”
Alongside his consultancy work, Martin helps organise educational events through GB Landlords, a networking and support group which brings together property owners, legal experts, local authorities and industry specialists.
The recent growth of TH Ward has enabled Martin to create new employment opportunities, including an apprenticeship role inspired by his own route into the profession.
“I started my career through what would now be called an apprenticeship, so it’s nice to be able to offer that opportunity to someone else,” he said.
“Ultimately, the business is growing because people need help navigating increasingly complex tax rules, and we’re making sure we have the team in place to provide that support.”