The worst accountant!

[mrjaywarren]

I've been chasing my accountant to create my VAT return for Q1, I started this in March! I wanted them to submit it early as they had left it to the last minute to create the vat report for sign-off for q4, their husband had been ill and in the end, rather than share the vat report for sign off they simply filed it, with errors. I've now had 2 letters from HMRC and I've had enough of their lies, delays, not responding to emails, phone calls, and WhatsApp messages.

I'm still chasing to this day for them to submit it, I've signed it off now and it's been a struggle to get to this point, all they have to do is click submit.

They lied to me and told me that they had already sent it to me back in April and it must be an issue with my email. Once they forwarded the original email I check the email date and time against the metadata and found it was first sent on the 2nd of June (they had just edited the recipient, date and time), the VAT report itself was also only created on the 2nd, a short time before the email was sent.

I've had enough, I can't be bothered with useless accountants anymore. I'm now in a battle with them via Xero to take over as the admin so I can file it myself an take more responsibility.

Is it realistic for me to do the VAT returns myself? It looks pretty straightforward.

Also, I don't want to pay monthly for an accountant, I would rather pay the end-of-year CT return costs once completed. Is this realistic, do accountants offer a pay-on-completion arrangement?

I've been through 5 accountants in 7 years, and they have always ended up costing me more just to have everything redone because I've paid monthly and then left them before the CT had to be submitted and they've messed something up. Is this their business model...to annoy you before year-end so you leave and they keep the money!

[Lance]

I've been through 5 accountants in 7 years,

if every where you go it smells like dogsh1t, check your shoes.

[wattaj]

if every where you go it smells like dogsh1t, check your shoes.

^^ This.

[northernladuk]

Also, I don't want to pay monthly for an accountant, I would rather pay the end-of-year CT return costs once completed. Is this realistic, do accountants offer a pay-on-completion arrangement?

Not standard contractor accountants. You aren't really paying monthly. It's the yearly charge chopped up. No chance will the let you pay after they've done a years work that's for sure. If anything you'll pay full up front. They carry out activities throughout the year and you also pay for their availability for advice at any point so no business in their right mind will do all the work and then charge afterwards.

[mrjaywarren]

Not standard contractor accountants. You aren't really paying monthly. It's the yearly charge chopped up. No chance will the let you pay after they've done a years work that's for sure. If anything you'll pay full up front. They carry out activities throughout the year and you also pay for their availability for advice at any point so no business in their right mind will do all the work and then charge afterwards.

Advice could be billed hourly as needed like other professions.

If I hand over the books in October which are due to be filed 9 months later and I pay on completion then what services have I missed out on in the year that a monthly all-paid upfront model (by the time the end of year books need processing) offers? I'm not saying my suggestion is spot on but the current model has its flaws no? and I'm keen to understand if there is a better way in which I put more responsibility on myself to ensure the business is meeting it's regulatory requirements instead of putting my trust into an accountant who has no skin in the game.

[Lance]

Advice could be billed hourly as needed like other professions.

If I hand over the books in October which are due to be filed 9 months later and I pay on completion then what services have I missed out on in the year that a monthly all-paid upfront model (by the time the end of year books need processing) offers? I'm not saying my suggestion is spot on but the current model has its flaws no? and I'm keen to understand if there is a better way in which I put more responsibility on myself to ensure the business is meeting it's regulatory requirements instead of putting my trust into an accountant who has no skin in the game.

You have a solid opinion how accountancy businesses should run.
You have sacked multiple accountancies who have not met your expectations.

Either do it yourself, or accept that they have a business model, which works, and in most cases is fairly low cost due to their economies of scale.
There's a sticky thread on accountant recommendations. Read it and choose one. And relax. It's gonna cost you c. £1000 a year no matter how you cut it up. Just let them do their job.

It just very much sounds like this is a 'you' problem.

[mrjaywarren]

if every where you go it smells like dogsh1t, check your shoes.

If you spend enough time in the sewer eventually it'll start to smell normal.

[mrjaywarren]

You have a solid opinion how accountancy businesses should run.
You have sacked multiple accountancies who have not met your expectations.

Either do it yourself, or accept that they have a business model, which works, and in most cases is fairly low cost due to their economies of scale.
There's a sticky thread on accountant recommendations. Read it and choose one. And relax. It's gonna cost you c. £1000 a year no matter how you cut it up. Just let them do their job.

It just very much sounds like this is a 'you' problem.

faking emails, making endless excuses, being constantly ignored and failing to deliver VAT returns for review on time, or just submitting them without approval doesn't feel like acceptable behaviour to me? I'm the problem, unrealistic expectations maybe?

[wattaj]

I've been through 5 accountants in 7 years...

Have a word with yourself.

I'm the problem, unrealistic expectations maybe?

You think?

[mrjaywarren]

Have a word with yourself.



You think?

This is surprising. I'll learn to let this behaviour slide in the future "faking emails, making endless excuses, being constantly ignored and failing to deliver VAT returns for review on time, or just submitting them without approval doesn't feel like acceptable behaviour to me? "