Where it started
Stratstone was founded in 2015 with a clear mission: to guide and deliver exceptional Residential and Commercial schemes for a diverse range of clients from UHNW individuals and SME developers to global retailers and private educators.
In just a few years, Stratstone delivered over £15 million worth of contracts across 21 standout projects spanning London, Essex, Hertfordshire, and Buckinghamshire.
But we didn’t stop there. In 2018, we took a bold step – transitioning from consultants to creators and entered the world of Real Estate Development directly. Backed by deep industry knowledge and an ever-growing network, Stratstone has continued to grow from strength to strength, experiencing impressive growth over the past seven years.
Why they chose SAS
As our business evolved, we recognised that it was time to implement systems like Xero to streamline our operations; however, we also understood that software alone wasn’t enough. We needed a proactive Accountant who could take the reins and manage the process end-to-end, freeing us to focus on driving the business forward.
It quickly became clear that we needed more than just accounting support; we needed strategic financial leadership.
In 2019, we brought on a Non-Executive Director who had previously worked closely with the founders of SAS. Given our growing needs and the importance of finding a finance partner that truly aligned with our culture and vision, he didn’t hesitate to recommend SAS.
His insight proved spot on, and the partnership has been instrumental ever since.
From our very first meeting in April 2020, it was clear that SAS wasn’t just technically capable, they shared our values and approached the partnership with genuine proactivity. Their ability to quickly understand our business, combined with a hands-on, solutions-focused mindset, gave us immediate confidence that we’d found the right fit.
The Challenge & SAS Approach
Tax Strategies
At Stratstone, we’re involved in a wide variety of real estate transactions, encompassing both residential and commercial properties. Each deal brings its own set of tax complexities, particularly in relation to Stamp Duty, Corporation Tax, and Capital Gains Tax.
SAS assists us throughout each transaction, proactively identifying opportunities for tax efficiency and also informing us of tax implications for each transaction, identifying opportunities for tax efficiency while keeping a close eye on the broader impact on our business and growth trajectory. Due to the volume of deals, the requirement for further discussion and tax advice is almost daily, which SAS are able to fulfil through their Virtual Finance Team.
Funding
During a pivotal growth phase, securing external funding became a critical challenge. SAS stepped in to support us by developing robust financial forecasts and assembling a professional finance pack that strengthened our investor proposition.
With their expertise, we were able to confidently present our vision to both private and institutional investors, successfully raising the funding we needed, on terms that worked for us.
Communication with HMRC
SAS also manages all our communications with HMRC, including submissions, queries, and compliance matters such as VAT returns, Corporation Tax filings, and PAYE.
By handling these interactions directly, they not only reduce the risk of errors but also save us significant time and internal resources, allowing our team to stay focused on core business activities.
Internal vs Virtual
Before engaging with SAS, we employed a Bookkeeper but soon found that this setup lacked the strategic insight needed to support our growth. We then assumed that the next step in growing the business would involve hiring a Finance Director. However, after reviewing the costs associated with employing a full-time Finance Director, including salary, payroll, and HR requirements, we decided to turned to the SAS Virtual Finance Team, which offered a more flexible and cost-effective solution without compromising on expertise.
As a result of working with SAS, we made our internal bookkeeper redundant, eliminating associated overheads. Since then, we’ve experienced greater efficiency across our financial operations while reducing costs. As we continue to grow, our services with SAS scale alongside us.
The Results
When we first partnered with SAS, Stratstone was still in its early stages, a start-up with big ambitions. Now, five years later, we have transformed into a well-structured multi-million-pound business with a clear vision and strategic plan. Throughout this period, we have consistently trusted SAS to oversee the financial department, enabling us to focus on sustaining our growth momentum.
Our experience with SAS has been nothing short of exceptional. We’ve confidently recommended their services to others and will continue to do so.
– William Linay
Stratstone Developments
