Can anyone recommend an accountant - South Hampshire

[mulberryblue]

I have been with my current accountant since I started my limited company 2.5 years ago. However, I find I seem to be doing all the work at great expense, and they don't advise on things I could be putting through as expenses, for example until I was talking to other contractors who mentioned I could put through an amount for use of home they had never suggested this and I had missed 18 months of this expense. I have since found other things I could have been claiming for but they just reformat what I send them.

When it comes to doing VAT I send them the spreadsheet I keep and they add it up - which I could do. When they do my self assessment I have to complete a questionnaire which basically means I provide all the information and they write it on the form! The same thing happens for P11D. To me, they do not do much to warrant the monthly expense.

Can anyone recommend an accountant who is more willing to provide advise? - I am happy to pay what I pay now if I get a service and advise.

[Clare@InTouch]

Call a few and see who you gel with. Having that personal relationship in place is massively important in my view because you need to be able to call them and ask what might seem daft questions.

On your other point - tax returns and P11D forms are difficult because they are such important documents, and without asking you questions we simply don't have the information available to us to complete them for you. Your accounting records will tell us what wages, dividends and expenses you had, but only you can tell us the value of your personal bank interest and whether or not you used the company assets personally. There's no way for us to know without asking you. I know it's annoying and time consuming, but there's no way around it unless you sit down with an accountant each year and go through it in person. Which would possibly be more maddening than answering a questionnaire!

[Acme Thunderer]

I use one that is based in East Dorset but one of the partners comes to an office near Portsmouth once a week. Not that I need to go to see them - its all conducted via e-mail/phone

Recommended to me by a friend and used by at least one other contractor that I know personnally. I have no complaints, though my requirements are fairly straightforward

PM me if you want the details

[northernladuk]

I think you are expecting a bit much from an accountant at the prices we pay. We are hardly paying top dollar for a personal service and anyway, as a director of a company you have a legal obligation to do some work in to look at this type of stuff. You run your business, not your accountant. You can't expect him to ask every single question about your work because you can't be bothered to research your own situation.

SJD used to send out bulletins from time to time about phones, broadband, renting office etc but if you had read their expenses guide in the welcome pack it was all just reminders anyway. The one guy setup I was with before for the face to face element did squat.

I would say looking that the example of what you didn't know I think you need to step up first before dumping your accountant. Any basic guide would have highlighted the home office. Pick Contractor Expenses to the right, then pick What expenses can I put through the company and there it is.

[northernladuk]

Call a few and see who you gel with. Having that personal relationship in place is massively important in my view because you need to be able to call them and ask what might seem daft questions.

If I joined InTouch would we have a personal relationship Clare??

[Clare@InTouch]

If I joined InTouch would we have a personal relationship Clare??

Indeed you would

I'll convince you one day

[Jessica@WhiteFieldTax]

Unfortunately questionnaires for self assessment, p11d and similar are almost a certainty; from a due diligence perspective it's how we make sure everything is picked up.

The skill is in your accountant getting probably an inch thick of printed HMRC self assessment guidance distilled to a useable 2 or 3 page questionnaire, and then using the information critically.

[bracken]

Can anyone recommend an accountant who is more willing to provide advise? - I am happy to pay what I pay now if I get a service and advise.

I'd recommend Stilwell Gray in Winchester. I've been using them for years. My contact is Sarah Holland. Give them a ring and tell them Bracken sent you...

B

[northernladuk]

Can anyone recommend an accountant who is more willing to provide advice? - I am happy to pay what I pay now if I get a service and advice.

What is it with all the advise/advice mistakes in the last few days. This must be 3rd one in as many days.

[Cupid Stunt]

I'd recommend Stilwell Gray in Winchester. I've been using them for years. My contact is Sarah Holland. Give them a ring and tell them Bracken sent you...

B

I've been with Stilwellgray for over 4 years; answer all of my silly questions very swiftly....