Services We Offer
Whether you’re starting a new business or growing an existing one, our team make sense of your numbers. We help increase profits and reduce taxes, giving you peace of mind to focus on your business.
What Total Books does
Everything we offer sits under one of four areas. This is the quick overview, what each area covers and how many services sit inside it. The detailed, clickable services follow underneath.
Accountancy
Bookkeeping, payroll, Xero, management accounts, and the outsourced Virtual Finance Office and Finance Director.
Taxation
Corporation Tax, personal tax, VAT, capital gains, planning, and HMRC disclosure work, all by a registered agent.
Companies House
As an authorised agent (ACSP): director identity verification, confirmation statements, PSC changes and secretarial admin.
Consultancy
Business coaching, valuation, exit planning, buy-and-sell, structuring and strategic financial planning.
From day-to-day books to senior financial direction
As certified AAT accountants working Xero-first, we keep the books accurate, the payroll clean and the management accounts useful, so you spend less time on admin and more on running the business. For growing companies, the Virtual Finance Office takes the whole function off your plate, with a Virtual Finance Director providing the senior direction.
Pick the service you need below. Each one opens its own page.
Bookkeeping
Accurate monthly bookkeeping on Xero, reconciled and HMRC-ready.
Payroll
RTI-compliant payroll, payslips, P60s and pension auto-enrolment.
Xero Cloud Accounting
Set-up, training and support from a Xero Certified Advisor.
Virtual Finance Office
Your whole finance function outsourced to one regulated team.
Virtual Finance Director (CFO)
Part-time CFO direction, forecasting, KPIs and board-level advisory.
Financial Analysis & Planning
Forecasts, scenario models and strategic planning for owner-managers.
HMRC compliance, planning and disclosure under one team
We are registered HMRC tax agents. That means we handle Corporation Tax, personal tax, VAT, capital gains and the more sensitive areas like the Let Property Campaign and Digital Disclosure Service under HMRC's official frameworks. Planning sits alongside compliance, so the bill is right and as low as legitimate reliefs allow.
Open any tax service below to see how it works.
Corporation Tax
CT600 returns, reliefs, R&D claims and corporate tax planning.
Personal Tax
Self-assessment, director tax and high-net-worth planning.
VAT
Registration, returns, MTD-compliant filing and scheme advice.
Capital Gains Tax
CGT on property and shares, with 60-day residential reporting.
Tax Planning
Salary versus dividends, profit extraction and structuring advice.
Let Property Campaign
HMRC disclosure for undeclared rental income, handled in full.
Digital Disclosure Service
HMRC voluntary disclosures for income and gains.
Foreign Tax Consultancy
Foreign income, residency and double-tax treaty advice.
Companies House admin and director compliance, as your ACSP
Total Books is a Companies House authorised corporate service provider (ACSP). Under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, every UK director and person with significant control (PSC) must verify their identity, and from spring 2026 third-party filing requires an ACSP. We complete verification, hold your code on file under engagement, and run every filing on your behalf.
Open any Companies House service below.
Authorised Agent (ACSP)
ACSP registration on your record and every filing handled on your authority.
Director Identity Verification
Personal IDV for every director and PSC, in person or by secure video.
Confirmation Statement Filing
Annual confirmation statement reviewed, updated and filed on time.
PSC & Director Changes
AP01, TM01, CH01, PSC and SH01 filings handled accurately.
Company Secretarial
Statutory registers, share structure, registered office and director admin.
Advisory for growth, valuation, exit and the decisions in between
Most owner-managers face the same big decisions sooner or later: when to grow, when to incorporate, when to sell, when to step back. Our consultancy work is the senior conversation that sits beside the compliance work. AAT, CIPD and CIM qualifications back the advisory team, and over 25 years of practice sit behind it.
Open any consultancy service below.
Business Consultancy & Coaching
Ongoing advisory on growth, structure and decision-making.
Business Valuation & Exit Planning
Valuation, exit-readiness review and a plan to maximise sale price.
Business Buy & Sell Consultancy
Due diligence, deal structuring and tax efficiency on deals.
Financial Analysis & Strategic Planning
Forecasts, scenarios and the model that anchors the next 12 months.
Not sure which service you need?
Tell us what's on your plate on a free 15-minute call with Buhir. We'll tell you which service fits, what the engagement looks like, and the fixed fee, on the same call.
Which Total Books service do you need?
Five short questions. By the end you'll know whether you need a quick second opinion, an ongoing engagement, or an urgent full review. Either way, the next step is the free 15-minute call.
Who we work with
The breadth above sits behind a clear set of audiences and sectors. Whichever you fit, the conversation starts the same way, with a free 15-minute call.
Why Total Books
Most accountancy firms either do the books or do the advisory work. We do both, and we are regulated to do them properly. AAT licensed, Companies House ACSP, HMRC tax agent, Xero Certified Advisor. Founder-led by Buhir Rafiq, who has been running the practice for 17 years and working in accounting and finance for 30.
- Regulated, founder-led practice, not an offshore call centre.
- Full finance function under one team: accountancy, tax, compliance, advisory.
- Xero-first, with the wider tech stack built around it.
- Local in Cardiff, Newport and Bristol; UK-wide via the Virtual Finance Office.
- 5-star rating across 413 client reviews.
- Fixed-fee engagements, transparent scoping, no hidden charges.
How easy is it to start working with us?
Four steps from the first call to verified status. Most clients are fully onboarded within two to three weeks, with the heavy lifting done in the first week.
Free 15-min business call
Informal, no obligation. Tell us what's going on and we'll tell you whether we're a fit.
Proposal & engagement
Live GoProposal scope, fixed fee, digitally signed letter of engagement.
Onboarding
Data capture, AML, agent authorisations with HMRC and Companies House, deadline calendar.
First 90 days
Bookkeeping live on Xero, filings ahead of schedule, advisory rhythm established.
Ready to get started?
The first step is the same whatever you need: a 15-minute call with Buhir, no obligation, and a fixed-fee answer at the end of it.
About Total Books and Buhir Rafiq
Buhir Rafiq MAAT founded Total Books in 2009. Thirty years in accounting and finance, 17 years running the practice, and over 7,000 accounts, tax and compliance engagements behind the firm.
Total Books is a regulated, founder-led practice with head office in Cardiff and further offices in Newport and Bristol. We work with directors and owner-managed companies across the UK through our Virtual Finance Office, and with UK independent pharmacies through sister brand RX Virtual Finance Ltd.
The firm holds a five-star rating across more than 413 client reviews.
Cardiff, Newport, Bristol and UK-wide
Face-to-face in the office or remote across the UK. The work, the team and the regulated status are the same on either route.
Cardiff
Alexandra Gate Business Centre 2, Ffordd Pengam, CF24 2SA
Head office. Directors and owner-managers across Cardiff Bay, Penarth, Cyncoed and the wider CF postcodes.
Cardiff accountants →Newport
Tramshed Tech, Griffin Street, NP20 1FX
Newport office. Businesses across the city, Caerleon and the Severn-side region.
Newport accountants →Bristol
Easton Business Centre, Felix Road, BS5 0HE
Cross-border office. BS1, BS5, BS8, Filton and the wider Bristol region.
Bristol accountants →Elsewhere in the UK? Our Virtual Finance Office wraps the same regulated team into a remote engagement. Cardiff, Newport, Bristol or anywhere else in the UK, you get the same Buhir-led team and the same five-star service.
Real outcomes for real clients
Three published case studies covering the breadth of what we do, from debt restructuring to historic disclosures. Each is a reported past outcome for a real, named client, not a promise to a new one.
24 months of VAT and Corporation Tax arrears restructured in 24 hours. A two-year plan from HMRC data, terms renegotiated from 6 to 24 months, and a bank loan to clear the bulk of the debt.
Read how we saved Clark D £50,000 in tax debt → HMRC disclosure10 years of unfiled tax returns while caring for family. We rebuilt records, filed every year, secured penalty waivers through digital disclosure and recovered a £7,000 refund.
Read how we recovered Martha’s £7,000 refund → Let property disclosure12 years of historical rental income brought into the Let Property Campaign with HMRC. Disclosure pack, penalty mitigation and a clean ongoing compliance routine.
Read how we cleared Dean’s 12 years of rental disclosures →Frequently asked questions
Can I switch to Total Books from my current accountant?
Yes, easily. We handle professional clearance with your existing accountant, request your historical records, and onboard you onto our systems. Most switches are complete within two to three weeks, with no disruption to HMRC filings or Companies House work in the meantime.
Do I need to register my limited company with HMRC?
Yes. After incorporating with Companies House, you must also register the company with HMRC for Corporation Tax within three months of starting any business activity. Depending on the business, VAT, PAYE and CIS registration may also apply. We handle all of these as part of the Limited Companies service or as a one-off engagement.
Do I need to verify my identity at Companies House now?
Yes, if you direct a UK company or hold significant control (PSC). Under ECCTA 2023, every director and PSC must verify their identity. New appointments verify from 18 November 2025; existing directors and PSCs must be verified by 18 November 2026, with individual deadlines tied to each company's next confirmation statement. Total Books completes the verification as your Companies House authorised agent (ACSP).
Do you handle pharmacy accounting?
Yes, through our specialist sister practice RX Virtual Finance Ltd, which works under Total Books. Independent pharmacy finance, pharmacy directors, locums and pharmaceutical businesses are served by RX Virtual Finance, covering NHS payments, contractor settlements, cash flow and virtual CFO support built for the sector.
Are you regulated?
Yes. Total Books is licensed by the AAT, registered with HMRC as a tax agent, recognised by Companies House as an authorised corporate service provider (ACSP), and a Xero Certified Advisor. The practice is led by Buhir Rafiq MAAT.
Do you work with clients outside Cardiff, Newport and Bristol?
Yes. Our Virtual Finance Office serves clients across the UK with the same regulated team and the same Xero-first technology stack. The work, the team and the fixed fee are identical to in-office engagement.
One regulated team for your accountancy, tax and Companies House work
Whether you're a brand-new director, a growing limited company that's outgrown DIY books, or a sole trader staring down a tax bill, the next step is the same. A 15-minute call with Buhir, no obligation, a fixed-fee answer at the end of it.
Disclaimer: this page is general information about the services Total Books Accountants Ltd offers. It is not specific advice for any individual situation. Tax, accounting and Companies House obligations sit with the taxpayer and the company directors. Please speak with us, or with another regulated accountant, before acting on anything on this page. Published case studies are reported past outcomes for real clients, not promises to new ones. Companies House dates reflect the current ECCTA 2023 implementation schedule and are reviewed quarterly.
Whether you are a new startup, existing or growing business our useful business guides will give you a peace of mind that our world of numbers does make sense.
Top 5 Bookkeeping Tips for Small Business
How To Prepare For Your Self-Assessment Tax Return – A Detailed Guide
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Speak to our expert local bookkeepers, accountants, VAT and taxation specialists.
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