When dealing with an organisation, a dispute, or a pile of paperwork is taking more out of you than it should - I take it over.
Correspondence, complex disputes, and financial compliance managed end-to-end. I read everything, answer properly, and only bring you in for the decisions that are actually yours to make.
Why Aardvark Casework
For thirty years, I have represented individuals and organisations facing opponents with greater resources, consistently achieving positive outcomes.
Much of my experience comes from my career in VAT, including directly representing clients in disputes with HMRC, contested assessments, and VAT tribunal hearings. I have successfully argued cases against HMRC officers, solicitors, and barristers. Those skills are now the core of my work, delivered for clients with significant financial stakes.
This approach extends beyond tax. I have served as a McKenzie friend in family court, supporting individuals unable to afford legal representation against professionally represented opponents. My role remains the same: thoroughly review all materials, ensure full understanding, and advocate effectively so that lack of professional support does not determine the outcome.
I apply this same commitment to public finance. As Chair of Lichfield District Council’s Audit Committee, I have challenged governance practices and advocated for change at the decision-making level.
I am autistic and have ADHD. Situations that typically cause stress, such as formal hearings or challenging correspondence, do not affect me in the same way. Once I understand a situation, I can address it calmly and persistently. This is not an add-on to my business; it is fundamental to how I operate.
What I do
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Correspondence & Casework
I serve as your point of contact. Every email, letter, and phone call is read, understood, and answered thoroughly, not just acknowledged. This ensures matters are handled efficiently and do not take up your time outside of work.
Most issues are not complex individually, such as a council tax query, a non-responsive pension provider, or an insurer delaying a straightforward claim. The challenge lies in managing them all at once. I take on this responsibility and respond as you would, with the time and attention each issue requires.
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Disputes & Difficult Paperwork
Service charges, deeds, contested bills, and consumer disputes require careful review. I examine the details thoroughly and maintain a complete, dated paper trail from the first letter to the last, ensuring robust documentation if matters escalate.
Disputes are not won by being louder than the other side, but by being more organised. Success relies on accurate references, a clear timeline, and a well-documented account of events that withstands scrutiny.
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Numbers & Compliance
With decades in tax and financial compliance, dealing with corporate and Government organisations, and experience as a treasurer and Audit Committee chair, I focus on your situation rather than an organisation’s. Whether it is an assessment, a set of accounts, a conflict, a demand that doesn’t add up, or even just a complicated set of forms and letters, I’ll explain it in simple English, with the outcome or resolution at the top.
When a straightforward answer requires technical support, I provide it. This is the difference between simply reassuring you about a number and being able to defend it.
How it works
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Send it over.
Whether it is a letter, an email thread, or a folder you have been avoiding, briefly explain the situation using the form below. I will request documents afterward through a secure method, ensuring sensitive information is protected. If nothing is written yet, simply describe the issue.
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I read everything, properly, before I say anything back.
Every page, every attachment, the history behind it if there is one.
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You get a free read and a quote.
I will clearly explain my assessment, recommended actions, and costs before you commit to anything. If no action is needed, or you can resolve it quickly yourself, I will let you know at no charge. Contact me for a free review and quote.
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If you go ahead, I become the point of contact.
You make the decisions that are genuinely yours. I handle everything else.
What this is - and isn’t
I am not a solicitor, and this is not a solicitor’s service. I do not conduct litigation or perform reserved legal work such as conveyancing or probate. I provide lay representation and casework, including tribunals, McKenzie friend work, correspondence, and disputes that require thorough review and persistence. If your case requires a solicitor, I will advise you and help you brief one appropriately.
I am not a financial adviser. My experience in VAT and financial compliance allows me to review, explain, and challenge your figures where necessary. However, regulated financial advice is distinct, and if you require it, I will let you know.
What I offer is the benefit of thirty years spent reviewing complex paperwork and advocating for individuals and organisations with fewer resources. This is the core of my service. The rest of this section simply clarifies its boundaries.