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Accountant charging for consultation

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    Accountant charging for consultation

    Greetings all, just after a bit of advice really.

    My current accountant doesn't know his ar*e from his elbow, so I set about looking for a new one. Found one fairly locally and agreed to meet up to discuss my accounts. At the end of the hour meeting he told me his price for simply preparing and returning a CT600 was £2,500 . I wasn't prepared to pay that to a man operating out of his house, so I told him I wouldn't be signing up for his services and went on my way.

    He's now sent an invoice through (with no details of how to pay) asking for £100 + VAT for his time. This wasn't mentioned at any time in our telephone conversations or in the meeting, and I'm sure he's pulled that figure out of his ar*e. I should have checked beforehand as to costs, I know.

    Where do I stand on this? Shall I just pay up or can I dispute it? Feel it's a bit cheeky of him the

    #2
    So he wants you to pay him for his pre-sales effort. No problem; just invoice him for an hour of your time. After all, you were both there...
    Blog? What blog...?

    Comment


      #3
      Yeah I'd dispute that. That's proper cheeky if it was genuinely a pre-sales consultation.

      Comment


        #4
        If you didn't agree then don't pay. He won't chase it. Plus the £2,500 more likely would have been £3,500 for obscure things!

        Dodged a bullet there!

        Comment


          #5
          Sounds like a cowboy. If it wasn't agreed in advance then don't pay.

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by ensignia View Post
            Greetings all, just after a bit of advice really.

            My current accountant doesn't know his ar*e from his elbow, so I set about looking for a new one. Found one fairly locally and agreed to meet up to discuss my accounts. At the end of the hour meeting he told me his price for simply preparing and returning a CT600 was £2,500 . I wasn't prepared to pay that to a man operating out of his house, so I told him I wouldn't be signing up for his services and went on my way.

            He's now sent an invoice through (with no details of how to pay) asking for £100 + VAT for his time. This wasn't mentioned at any time in our telephone conversations or in the meeting, and I'm sure he's pulled that figure out of his ar*e. I should have checked beforehand as to costs, I know.

            Where do I stand on this? Shall I just pay up or can I dispute it? Feel it's a bit cheeky of him the
            I would pay it - You have had the benefit of his time in a professional capacity and it is only £100 which is pretty reasonable

            Just because he was expensive does not mean he is no good - Actually it is normally the opposite

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by Jack Kada View Post
              I would pay it - You have had the benefit of his time in a professional capacity and it is only £100 which is pretty reasonable

              Just because he was expensive does not mean he is no good - Actually it is normally the opposite
              I'll send you my invoice for reading your post, will you pay that too?

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by Jack Kada View Post
                I would pay it - You have had the benefit of his time in a professional capacity and it is only £100 which is pretty reasonable

                Just because he was expensive does not mean he is no good - Actually it is normally the opposite
                Really?

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                  #9
                  If he's not given you any details on how to pay then he's shot himself in the foot, hasn't he?
                  • The meaning of life is to give life meaning
                  • Worrying about tomorrow spoils today

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by ensignia View Post
                    He's now sent an invoice through (with no details of how to pay) asking for £100 + VAT for his time.
                    At first I thought the above was ridiculous, then the below was posted.

                    Originally posted by Jack Kada View Post
                    I would pay it - You have had the benefit of his time in a professional capacity and it is only £100 which is pretty reasonable

                    Just because he was expensive does not mean he is no good - Actually it is normally the opposite
                    Tell the accountant to ram it, there was no contract, no mention of price for his time, it was pre-sales work on his part.

                    Comment

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