Desperately looking for excellent ltd accountants - any advice?

[SueEllen]

I was about to say if you have any issues with anyone in the affiliated directory or who is recommended by IPSE make a fuss.

You will need to show why the company is not compliant and possibly breaching a particular law.

Prominent IPSE members on this board will help you if you can't get through to the right people. I had to do this a few years ago when a certain affiliated agency were claiming their contract was compliant.

[Fred Bloggs]

WHS. I've just done a search on the IPSE forums, and I can't see any complaints about Brookson more recent than 2009, apart from the odd unsolicited call - people are reporting being happy with their services. If there are issues, then these should be raised through the appropriate channels.

The reason why you won't find anything on the IPSE forum is because despite me writing a long condemnation of the recent mailshot regarding the new partnership between IPSE and Brookson, I decided not to post it. In particular, the total lack of clarity as to what IPSE gets out of the deal is to me a big problem. It seems if a member chooses Brookson, who are VERY expensive and have a poor reputation here, the member gets nothing out of the deal. Presumably, IPSE benefits from the partnership in some way, but we simply don't know.

I decided not to post my rant about this deal on the IPSE forum for simple reasons.

1 The IPSE forum is mainly used as a personal platform for a small number of long standing, very opinionated individuals who will never accept that a post by an "outsider" has any merit.

2 Whenever I have criticised IPSE policy or lack of action on what I perceive to be important issues, I am invariably shouted down.

3 There is such a small number of ordinary non opinionated members posting at the forum, it's a waste of time, basically.

4 I only want the IR35 cover, the rest is irrelevant to me.

[SueEllen]

@Fred Bloggs have you had personal dealings with Brookson? If not then you won't be taken seriously as it's hearsay.

Actual screwed over customers, former nd current, need to complain.

[Fred Bloggs]

@Fred Bloggs have you had personal dealings with Brookson? If not then you won't be taken seriously as it's hearsay.

Actual screwed over customers, former nd current, need to complain.

Yes I have, but never as a client of theirs. Lucky for me my extensive due diligence warned me off them when I was looking for accountants. A number of very good friends were not so lucky and suffered at their hands. All eventually voted with their feet anyway. As you have sort of pointed out, my observations have never, and I suspect, will never be taken seriously at IPSE.

[mudskipper]

1 The IPSE forum is mainly used as a personal platform for a small number of long standing, very opinionated individuals who will never accept that a post by an "outsider" has any merit.

2 Whenever I have criticised IPSE policy or lack of action on what I perceive to be important issues, I am invariably shouted down.

3 There is such a small number of ordinary non opinionated members posting at the forum, it's a waste of time, basically.

Perhaps was the case once, but is much less so now. I'm a relative newcomer to the forums - up until 18 months ago, I only had a handful of posts. I've certainly seen a positive change in that time.

Everyone has an opinion, and opinions will differ, but as SueEllen says, what lends weight is personal experience rather than hearsay.

[Alan @ BroomeAffinity]

Just read the IPSE announcement about Brookson. Extraordinary decision IMO. Expensive, impersonal and slow as far as I can tell.

"Accountants especially selected to protect them from any risk". I wonder how IPSE quantify/justify that statement.

[eek]

Perhaps was the case once, but is much less so now. I'm a relative newcomer to the forums - up until 18 months ago, I only had a handful of posts. I've certainly seen a positive change in that time.

Everyone has an opinion, and opinions will differ, but as SueEllen says, what lends weight is personal experience rather than hearsay.

I didn't bother posting on the IPSE forums because while I did compose a note I really couldn't see the point of posting it once the association was announced.

As for my opinion of brooksons, they spent 2 months trying to recruit me while I was looking for work in January to March and were very happy to pay more than the market rate if I would work for them. I refused all offers from 3 different agents (2 of whom got my details from brooksons to try and persuade me to talk to them).

So if you want a monetary value for my dislike of brooksons try 2 months on a very handsome day rate.

[Fred Bloggs]

Just read the IPSE announcement about Brookson. Extraordinary decision IMO. Expensive, impersonal and slow as far as I can tell.

"Accountants especially selected to protect them from any risk". I wonder how IPSE quantify/justify that statement.

Extraordinary indeed, particularly for it's total lack of transparency.

But your view is only hear say anyway. It doesn't count.

[Fred Bloggs]

Perhaps was the case once, but is much less so now. I'm a relative newcomer to the forums - up until 18 months ago, I only had a handful of posts. I've certainly seen a positive change in that time.

Everyone has an opinion, and opinions will differ, but as SueEllen says, what lends weight is personal experience rather than hearsay.

You see what you wish to see. I certainly see no positive change.

[eek]

You see what you wish to see. I certainly see no positive change.

+1. I also saw them trying to spin the T&S changes when the end result bore little relation to their published submission.