Case Study: How Total Books Helped Clarke Davis Save £50,000 and Escape Crushing Tax Debt

How did Total Books helped Clarke Davis Save £50,000?

At a Glance

• Challenge: 24 months of unpaid VAT and Corporation Tax, unaffordable HMRC repayment plans, and no clear financial roadmap.
• Response Time: Full review, plan and action within 24 hours of the first meeting.
• Key Actions: HMRC negotiations, full tax liability summary, two-year budget, support securing a bank loan, and ongoing Virtual Finance Office & VFD support.
• Financial Result: Around £50,000 saved in immediate payments by extending and restructuring terms.
• Emotional Result: A “big relief” and “a lovely feeling that I’m being taken care of”, with a clear plan to scale the business.

The Situation: “Drowning” in Tax Debt and Uncertainty

Clarke Davis, a professional services business owner, was under intense financial pressure. Over a 24-month period, VAT and Corporation Tax liabilities had built up to the point where HMRC’s suggested repayment plans were simply not affordable. Clarke described himself as “drowning” and “really worried”, with no clear idea of how to catch up or what was due when.

Previous accountants had been slow to respond and provided no useful tools such as breakdowns or spreadsheets. Clarke was facing:

• Overdue VAT and Corporation Tax stretching back two years.
• HMRC payment plans that the business could not meet.
• No structured budget for personal spending or business tax obligations.
• Constant anxiety every time a letter arrived from HMRC.

He knew he needed help fast – from a team who would respond immediately and work alongside him, not leave him to struggle alone.

How Clarke Found Total Books

Clarke had used Total Books Accountants before, after originally finding the firm via Google search. He returned to Total Books because of his earlier experience:

“Very professional, everything is well explained. Been with other accountants – they take ages to come back, don’t send any spreadsheets or anything. First impression: professional, nice people, professional and down to earth, make it all understandable.”

When this tax crisis hit, Clarke knew he needed that same professional, down-to-earth, responsive support again – but this time with urgent, high-stakes HMRC issues attached.

Objectives: What Clarke Needed Total Books to Achieve

From day one, the goals were clear:

1. Restructure unmanageable HMRC debt into a realistic payment plan.
2. Create a complete picture of all tax owed (VAT and Corporation Tax) over the previous 24 months.
3. Build a two-year plan and budget covering both private spending and business tax payments.
4. Free up cash flow so the business could survive and continue to grow.
5. Deliver immediate relief – not months later, but within hours and days.

What Total Books Delivered (Without Changing a Single Fact!)

Within 24 hours of the first meeting, Total Books deployed a combined Virtual Finance Office (VFO) and Virtual Finance Director (VFD) solution for Clarke.

Virtual Finance Office: Building Clarity and Control

Total Books’ Virtual Finance Office team:

• Created a payment summary of all tax liabilities over 24 months, including VAT and Corporation Tax.
• Used HMRC Government Gateway data to map every liability and due date.
• Planned a private spending budget alongside a business payment and tax-due budget over the next two years, so Clarke knew exactly what to set aside and when.
• Supplied practical tools and support, including:
  • Detailed Excel spreadsheets
  • A video walkthrough explaining the numbers and plan
  • Written notes and a clear action plan
  • Ongoing WhatsApp messaging for quick questions and updates

Clarke highlighted how important this style of support was:

“Explaining things out – working with me as per the videos and Excel spreadsheet, being there, usually just a WhatsApp message away, which is quite invaluable.”