Accountant who won't pay up!

[Freddy]

My accountant of the past 4 years, is delaying the payment of my tax rebate from the last tax year. He has recieved my money from the inland revenue and keeps giving excuses to why he can't pay me. If I was to take him to a small claims court would I get any money or would I be flogging a dead horse. He said if I take him to court I'd get nothing?

[VectraMan]

Why does your accountant have your tax rebate?

[DaveB]

Why does your accountant have your tax rebate?

WHS.

Please tell us you havnt given yur accountant access to the company bank account?

[Clare@InTouch]

My accountant of the past 4 years, is delaying the payment of my tax rebate from the last tax year. He has recieved my money from the inland revenue and keeps giving excuses to why he can't pay me. If I was to take him to a small claims court would I get any money or would I be flogging a dead horse. He said if I take him to court I'd get nothing?

There's no way he should have been able to bank a refund made payable to you/your company in the first place. Why does he think you'd get nothing?

Is he a member of a professional body such as ACCA or ICAEW? You could threaten to make a complaint to them, that should move him!

[TheFaQQer]

Time to get a new accountant!!

[Nixon Williams]

My accountant of the past 4 years, is delaying the payment of my tax rebate from the last tax year. He has recieved my money from the inland revenue and keeps giving excuses to why he can't pay me. If I was to take him to a small claims court would I get any money or would I be flogging a dead horse. He said if I take him to court I'd get nothing?

Perhaps when you signed the tax return you agreed to pay the rebate to his bank account? This is not something that we have ever done but some "old school" accountants still do this.

What reasons has he given for not refunding you? Is he regulated by one of the accounting bodies?

[configman]

My accountant of the past 4 years, is delaying the payment of my tax rebate from the last tax year. He has recieved my money from the inland revenue and keeps giving excuses to why he can't pay me. If I was to take him to a small claims court would I get any money or would I be flogging a dead horse. He said if I take him to court I'd get nothing?

It should never be paid into his account, either you have signed the return giving your permission for this to happen or someone has modified the return afterwards in which case it would come under the Thefts Act 1986, therefore, criminal. If he knew he did not have the funds to pass the payment on to you then this would still be under the Thefts Act specifically the sections on deception - this would be theft because he had the oportunity to make sure the payment was made direct to you but he redirected it to his account. He has shown his intent not to pay by saying if you take him to court you would get nothing then I would first report this as a criminal offence.

[Wanderer]

Agree with what Nixon and Clare say. If the accountant is a member of any professional body then threaten to report him unless he pays up immediately. If your money is being held without good reason then the accountant is going to get a rocket.