Readers’ forum: Hefty price of altruism

I am in a quandary made all the more mystifying because I can’t believe no one else has found themselves in it too.

I am a qualified and authorised tax professional of nearly 30 years’ employment experience with various accountancy and legal firms and I have offered to help a friend who is moving abroad for work for a few years and letting out his UK house. Self-assessment tax returns will be required but I can’t go down the ‘trusted helper’ route because that service isn’t suitable for self assessment and I can’t obtain an agent code in my own name as I need to be in business to create an agent services account. I’ve never traded nor have any wish to but I have helped many people over the years although never for any fee or reward.

I also need to be anti-money laundering registered...