How soon after year end do you expect to receive your accounts?

[SueEllen]

I wanted to see if my accountant was comparatively slow or fast compared to other people experiences!!!!!

What terms of service did you agree with your accountant?

[Bugbait]

Before Upton went down hill they used to take about 2 to 2.5 months on average, depending on how late I submitted it and how hard I chased them. InTouch did it in 5-6 weeks starting from scratch including follow up with Upton.

[Lewis]

About 4 weeks (Nixon Williams).

[d000hg]

I do my accounts when I give them to the accountant. I expect them done in 2-3 weeks as all they have to do is use the sage file I supply. I don't get this "when does my accountant give me my info". They work for you not the other way around.

I bet you don't see it that when when you're the one being hired - you expect to be able to choose when and how the work is done.

[blacjac]

I'm actually quite interested in other peoples experiences. I unfortunately use an infamous West Yorkshire accounting firm and my Y/E was mid Apr. I was told the turn around time was 8-10 weeks (which has obviously now passed) so am keen to find out how long other accountants take, in case I need to get another company to produce the Y/E accounts.

I would seriously consider doing this, despite Darren personally assuring me my accounts were done and just needing review for 2 months, I later found out they hadn't even been started.

[Bagpuss]

My experience of two accountants one infamous the other not so, is they leave it until shortly before the deadline (when I say shortly I think a month is leaving things a bit late). As my year end is April I don't want to wait until December or January to have my accounts, by that time it's less easy to remember what had happened should there be any queries. This year they submitted late (the drafts were of a poor standard) which resulted in a fine from companies house.

This leaving it until the last minute isn't really good practice IMHO. Should you want to leave by the time they are submitted, you have almost paid for another year, so that's a refund needed or further expense in paying catch up fees (should the new accountant charge them). If you don't get a refund you effectively pay twice, maybe it's a nice little earner for them, a years worth of accounts for 19 months of fees.

Perhaps a 'more expensive' accountant who can turn things around in 14 months is actually cheaper.