Problems with leaving old accountant

[northernladuk]

I was originally with a one man band accountant which worked ok for the first year but his ability to deliver in a reasonable timescale started to get worse and worse and the last straw was him making a mistake requiring him to do the last 4 months PAYE and divi paperwork again. I paid him for one financial year and he has invoiced me for 3 months in to the next. Problem is he hasn't delivered the paperwork from the last one and his holding it to ransom until I pay the final invoice.

I have had a number of heated conversations with him regarding the fact he didn't deliver the last lot after I have paid so I am sure as hell not paying again until he delivers. He has also not replied to a single letter from my new accounants.

I haven't had time to go knocking on his door but have have had a number of mail and phone exchanges in which he promised to send the stuff and nothing has arrived.

Is there an ombudsman covering accountants that I can go to?
Should I start small claims proceedings against him?

I guess I ought to make the effort to go try and get it personally but I expect to advise him of a time and date and send him an invoice of £100 (sound about right) to go and personally pick it up?

I don't want to start threatening him with stuff I am not willing to follow up on so want to know my options.

Thanks

[pmeswani]

I was originally with a one man band accountant which worked ok for the first year but his ability to deliver in a reasonable timescale started to get worse and worse and the last straw was him making a mistake requiring him to do the last 4 months PAYE and divi paperwork again. I paid him for one financial year and he has invoiced me for 3 months in to the next. Problem is he hasn't delivered the paperwork from the last one and his holding it to ransom until I pay the final invoice.

I have had a number of heated conversations with him regarding the fact he didn't deliver the last lot after I have paid so I am sure as hell not paying again until he delivers. He has also not replied to a single letter from my new accounants.

I haven't had time to go knocking on his door but have have had a number of mail and phone exchanges in which he promised to send the stuff and nothing has arrived.

Is there an ombudsman covering accountants that I can go to?
Should I start small claims proceedings against him?

I guess I ought to make the effort to go try and get it personally but I expect to advise him of a time and date and send him an invoice of £100 (sound about right) to go and personally pick it up?

I don't want to start threatening him with stuff I am not willing to follow up on so want to know my options.

Thanks

Is he an ACCA or CIMA registered? If so, complain to one of them and see what they say. The worst thing that can happen to an accountant is if they lose their acreditation.

[MarillionFan]

I was originally with a one man band accountant which worked ok for the first year but his ability to deliver in a reasonable timescale started to get worse and worse and the last straw was him making a mistake requiring him to do the last 4 months PAYE and divi paperwork again. I paid him for one financial year and he has invoiced me for 3 months in to the next. Problem is he hasn't delivered the paperwork from the last one and his holding it to ransom until I pay the final invoice.

I have had a number of heated conversations with him regarding the fact he didn't deliver the last lot after I have paid so I am sure as hell not paying again until he delivers. He has also not replied to a single letter from my new accounants.

I haven't had time to go knocking on his door but have have had a number of mail and phone exchanges in which he promised to send the stuff and nothing has arrived.

Is there an ombudsman covering accountants that I can go to?
Should I start small claims proceedings against him?

I guess I ought to make the effort to go try and get it personally but I expect to advise him of a time and date and send him an invoice of £100 (sound about right) to go and personally pick it up?

I don't want to start threatening him with stuff I am not willing to follow up on so want to know my options.

Thanks

Had a problem like this before, so I'll cut to the chase.

Emails were ignored, calls not returned & my new accountant was having no luck. This went on for about 3/4 months.

Finally, I just wrote a very official letter & sent my signed delivery. That I was unhappy with their lack of response to date, that they had cost me money to the tune of xxxx and that further delay would cost y. I then gave them a two week deadline to make the transfer to the new accountants otherwise I would be forced to go to small claims court for costs & damages.

In this case, 'a firm' the second partner got in touch to apologise for the 1st and transferred.

You'll have to set a firm deadline & threat of legal action if you are just not getting anywhere.

I was about 200 miles away from that accountants so a visit wasn't an option. Personally though, I would just set up a time to go over there. You cannot really charge for your time on this NL until you go legal.