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Reviews 243
Victor Hon
Jun 27,2023Advisor - Arshana Anuraj explained me in full detail. She had no hesitation to call me while I am located in Hong Kong.
Anna Merro
Jun 15,2023Impeccable service. We worked with them on some tax rebates for our company as we have overpaid tax on some of our properties over the years and they guided us every step of the way. From providing us with a comprehensive list of what was required, to giving us advice on where else to find what we didn't have, they ultimately handled everything until we got a response in a very organised and professional manner. We would totally recommend them and get their services again.
Laura
May 31,2023A massive thank you to Tax Analyst, Arshana Anuraj. She is a massive asset to the team. Her correspondence was quick and professional. She helped answer a complex query I had. Others had tried to charge me close to £400 for a yes/no answer. Cornerstone were reasonable and for that, they will have my business for any future queries I will have. I wouldn't hesitate to use Cornerstone going forward. Thank you!!
Kevin Tait
May 18,2023Knowing very little about my SDLT rights I spoke with Aamirah who made everything so simple to take on board. Phone calls giving us chance to talk things through as opposed to many to and from emails, that don't express the little things. Well all sorted now and extremely pleased with the service received
Richard Rogers
May 06,2023Save yourself the stress and significant costs of dealing with this organisation. I was given SDLT planning by Cornerstone Tax in 2014. After several years of them claiming their advice was correct, the HMRC have deemed it not to be. For years I had to chase them for updates that were vague, non committal and providing faalse reassurance. They never proactively communicated, most notably to inform us that they had put the original Cornerstone Tax into liquidation and handed over the HMRC investigation to Goldstone - another part of the same organisation. They informed everyone that they were effectively on their own with a poorly formatted email sent (unsigned) on a Friday night. Despite several requests to discuss this with them professionally, they have failed to respond, forcing me to write this review. This is a genuine customer experience with the Cornerstone organisation. The current Cornerstone Tax has the same brand name, web address, contact details and some of the same staff as the Cornerstone Tax that provided us with poor advice and poor customer service. Indeed their current website states that they have been providing SDLT advice sinse 2006, so the experience of anyone using Cornerstone since then is highly relevant. Don't make the same mistake we did Readers can make up their own mind, but they should do their due diligence. I have evidence that current employees of Cornerstone Tax were involved in what has now been deemed to be a 'tax avoidance scheme'. For the record, I did not willingly enter into a tax avoidance scheme - I was in fact specifically told that it was not a tax avoidance scheme by those who sold it on behalf of cornerstone. It is the HMRC who deemed Cornerstone's advice to have broken tax law. It is sickening to see a company that has been 'pheonixed' trading under a claim that it has been providing SDLT advice since 2006 and then claiming that it has nothing to do with schemes prior to 2020. Goldstone are in fact part of the same Cornerstone group, which includes the current incarnation of cornerstone tax (and include staff who were involved with the original scheme).
Unhappy customer
May 03,2023Obtained advice in 2020 re SDLT. I've just received a note from them today saying, 3 years on, they have been under investigation by the HMRC and I should now deal with HMRC directly. Do not use. 4/5/23 Update: Following the comment from Company that I may not be a legitimate customer. Please see appointment letter date 10th Jan 2020 ref ADV/JK/DH/CAS006563
John M
Apr 28,2023Very disappointed in the services received and the unprofessional approach to communication taken by Cornerstone. Would strongly recommend avoiding. Initially selling me a product that at best was already under investigation. Then choosing to with hold information about their discussions with HMRC that would have impacted my decision and saved me thousands of pounds in interest. Possibly the worst part of it all is informing me that their tax planning has been unsuccessful (5 years on!) via a generic email sent at 6pm on a Friday evening! I believe it is when things go wrong that a company has the opportunity to show its true colours and in this instance Cornerstone has shown itself to be cowardly, unprofessional and clearly only interested in taking their fee.
SL
Apr 25,2023WARNING DO NOT USE. We were advised to use them for SDLT planning 6yrs ago. Told verbally never been challenged, would receive a full refund if challenged - therefore be in same position and only need to pay SDLT to HMRC plus interest, a no-lose gamble effectively. When it comes to the crunch and HMRC are hounding you, Cornerstone are nowhere to be seen, now advising to pay it and not refunding the fees - saying it was not in the contract. I know of at least 4 other people who were told the same thing verbally. Still using same emails, phone number and website - everything is the same. **FURTHER INFO** SEE JB REVIEW (NOW REMOVED I BELIEVE) & James mentioning David Hannah is longer involved, yet on there very own page today DAVID HANNAH GROUP CHAIRMAN OF CORNERSTONE IS COMMENTING ON 100% MORTGAGES - SO HE IS STILL INVOLVED WITH CORNERSTONE - YOU ARE NOT GIVING ACCURATE INFORMATION JAMES. SCREENGRAB TAKEN AS WELL FOR PROOF. I can also now see from your site you have removed the scrolling reviews from the bottom of the page because you are getting so many negative reviews! **EDIT** Asked to remove review (24/4/23). Now received a request today (26/4/23) to provide further information. No I will not provide you with my details via this platform. You have my details - YOU HAVE NOT RESPONDED TO ANY OF MY EMAILS OR CALLS! You may have changed your company name - but you are same staff, same website, same emails, even link on home page to Trust Pilot now brings you to the name change. It is called Phoenixing. A lot of companies do this when the proverbial hits the fan to avoid dealing with complaints, responsibility and compensation and restitution.
JAMES HAWKES
Apr 22,2023If you use this company it will change your life for the worst not for the better, I was advised to use Cornerstone many years ago for a purchase of a property. We paid the stamp duty but was advised from Cornerstone that I could receive a refund and get the SDLT back. Cornerstone took a rather large chunk of the refund as payment for there services. Now I'm being chased by HMRC for over 15k as they believe this to be a tax avoidance scheme. Needless to say, Cornerstone won't take responsibility nor will they cover the debt or refund me any money. It has also been brought to my attention that the company is now in Liquidation and a new company has emerged which is Cornerstone Tax 2020. Same email address and website but now linked to Trust Pilot as a new company. Something isn't right. If this new company is any better than the last one, hopefully they will take responsibility and settle these mistakes but I doubt it. Instead I'm being strongly urged to delete this review.
Customer
Apr 22,2023We used Cornerstones for SDLT planning five years ago. We received numerous threatening letters from HMRC which when I contacted Cornerstones was told to ignore. Not once did they communicate any updates to us it was constant chasing on our part. They have advised incorrectly continuously and now we have huge financial implications to deal with, their only advice is pay it. The fees we paid them, for nothing it would seem, is put down to contingencies. Use this company only if you enjoy lack of communication, loss of finances and buying into what amounts to illegal practices. I’ve been asked to update. I think it’s relevant that they have provided this “service” to 600 clients, this figure they provided to me, that is a huge financial gain for them. They also never advised that their founder David Cornerstone was taken to court in 2021 and fined thousands for doing the same they advised us to do. This information would have been very relevant to decisions we have made since that date. Very open to discussions with them if they want to contact me direct. The original company liquidated I know but I have numerous e-mails from you,Cornerstone 2020, who took over advising me to ignore numerous HMRC letters as they had no powers, resulting in now having to pay the full SDLT, five years of interest and a 30% penalty for listening to you. I have contacted you several times for your complaints procedure and am continually ignored. Just updating on here to say no matter what avenue I try I am continually ignored by Cornerstone. Has anyone else who received the “tax planning” advice contacted HMRC to find that on top of everything there will be a 30% penalty! Cornerstone advised in their email there wouldn’t be one. Thanks. Once again Cornerstone are trying to say this review isn’t genuine and they didn’t give this advice. I have forwarded my proof that it was them who gave me incorrect advice and are now ignoring all correspondence. You can see by the other reviews that we are all genuine and this is the company we have been dealing with. It’s a pity this company isn’t as responsive to its clients e-mails as it is to these genuine bad reviews. They are putting out the same factually incorrect response to everyone. The reason this review is still here and verified is that you, Cornerstone 2020 Ltd advised on the tax avoidance that you now call it, repeatedly telling us to IGNORE HMRC, I have the e-mails with your companies name on it to prove it. You can’t ignore fact! Stop using the same boring excuse that it was another company. IT WASNT!!!! You took over this product without advising any of the clients that the other company had liquidated. THIS REVIEW IS FOR CORNERSTONE 2020 LTD! ITS VERIFIED WHICH IS WHY IT IS STILL HERE. YOUR COMPANY IS A DISGRACE IN ITS TREATMENT OF ITS CLIENTS, OF WHICH YOU ARE FULLY AWARE. P.S. WELL DONE ON REMOVING THE REVIEWS SCROLL OFF YOUR WEBSITE, ALL OF WHICH RECENTLY ARE ONE STAR, CANT THINK WHY, CAN YOU??? Update: Personal data removed as requested. Thank you for the guidance. Please be advised I’m well aware of the product and who sold it. My complaint is with them too. My complaint against Cornerstone 2020 is the emails of wrongful advice you gave post liquidation of the previous company telling me to ignore the letters from HMRC and that you would respond on my behalf which so far it appears you didn’t, I’m awaiting proof. I have all the emails of incorrect advice signed by employees of Cornerstone 2020 Ltd. You cannot dispute this and say it was another company. I have also made a complaint about the other company and Goldstone. Still not received any documents I’ve asked for.
Bal Chahal
Apr 19,2023Needed some SDLT advice as my wifes solicitor had very little knowledge. Aamirah was professional and efficient and came back to me in a timely manner, very impressed. Will definitely come back to Cornerstone if need advise on SDLT. Thank you Aamirah .
George Evripidou
Apr 18,2023I worked with Usama on a refund for my SDLT. He patiently walked me through the process, and remained responsive at all times. Who ever I have spoken to, Cornerstone is the go to specialist for SDLT and I would happily use them again.
Michael Bean
Apr 18,2023Usama made the whole experience super easy - I just had to provide my docs and he did the rest. He managed to get me a full SDLT refund. Their fees were also better than other companies. Highly recommend!
Chris Door
Apr 12,2023Worked with Mehmod on a stamp duty refund case. Professional and efficient from start to finish and always clarified any doubts I had.
Annette dawson
Apr 05,2023Fantastic service from start to finish
Annabel Scott
Mar 30,2023Really helpful knowledgable people - super polite, friendly and they got us a rebate without us knowing we were even eligible for one! Highly recommend them !
F.Ridgwell
Mar 10,2023prompt reply, targeted and user friendly
customer
Feb 16,2023I had been unsuccessfully dealing with the HMRC for a while, trying to get a refund for Higher Rate SDLT that I had paid on a previous property. The HMRC were wrongly refusing payment which was incredibly frustrating. I contacted Cornerstone and was in talks with Sam who took on the case. Initially Sam got a similar response from the HMRC, but after pointing out their mistakes once again he was successful in getting me refunded WITH INTEREST. I am so glad I used Cornerstone to solve my issue with the HMRC, and I am extremely grateful for Sam's hard work and professionalism; he was quick to respond, extremely knowledgeable and honest with his scope and costs. I highly recommend using Cornerstone for any Stamp duty related problems. You will not regret their service.
Vasilis Stamatis
Feb 10,2023Very helpful and knowledgeable.
Milestone House, 18 Nursery Court, LE8 0EX, Kibworth, GB
http://www.ctatax.uk.com
Russell
Jul 07,2023I could not be happier with the service and advice that I received yesterday with regard to my Stamp Duty issue. Sam dealt with everything in a very efficient and accurate manner