Rod Fielding was Ken Barlow's accountant in 1990. In a meeting with his client, Rod advised Ken to pay a tax bill which was due on 1st January or be charged interest, and warned him that paying off the mortgage on 1 Coronation Street, as per Deirdre's demands, would meaning losing his relief there. Keen to avoid another argument with Deirdre over their separation, Ken was going along with her request and was confident about being able to increase his bank loan on the Weatherfield Recorder having secured an advertising deal with the council.