Is there a form to fill out to de-authorise your tax agent?

[Maslins]

Nowadays though, does accountant, in your experience, still receive post etc after they have remove client from their client list or has it changed since?

My accountant does not wish (if at all possible) to continue receiving my/Ltd's post after the date I am formally no longer his client - a concern that I can understand.

If the accountant deletes from their end, being honest I don't know. It's not something we do often, only on rare occasions when a client left us some time ago and we keep getting post. We have on occasion found even after deleting them, the post doesn't stop!

If you're happy your accountant has done all they're going to do, have a go at removing them from your own portal. Beyond that, forget about it. If your accountant gets a letter or two after that and is grumpy, well, you did your best(!), and they can also try to do something their end to cancel it.

[oleanderwand]

Thanks a lot Maslin. Yes, there is option on my portal account to do that. I'll make a note to do it for each of services, thanks for that.

Nowadays though, does accountant, in your experience, still receive post etc after they have remove client from their client list or has it changed since?

My accountant does not wish (if at all possible) to continue receiving my/Ltd's post after the date I am formally no longer his client - a concern that I can understand. His other clients are transitioning with new accountants and I am one of few who not directly transitioning.

[Maslins]

From what you've said, I wouldn't worry about it! Ie if your accountant is retiring and that's the only reason they won't be assisting you anymore (rather than you're concerned they may do something dodgy), there's no harm in them remaining your authorised agent for a while longer. They'll just continue to receive some bits of post periodically, and still have access to certain things re you/your company in their HMRC portal account.

I would've thought your portal account would have a fairly clear option to remove them as authorised agent. Do be aware you'll potentially need to do this up to 4 separate times. Ie once each for VAT, PAYE, CT, and SA.

My comments in this thread (of ~5 years ago!) were that as agent we have the ability to delete a client from our visibility in our portal, but at least at the time it didn't seem that removed our authorisation more widely. Ie we'd still get post re that client, could still call HMRC re them etc.

[oleanderwand]

My apologies to post in this old thread, but this is the only relevant thread I can find in this forum.

My accountant retires soon and there will be significant gaps until I find a new accountant (so no 64-8 paper will be filed by new accountant for sometime).

To de-authorise my accountant as tax agent, do both my accountant and I have to remove his tax agent status e.g. my accountant to remove me/my Ltd from his client list and I to remove him from my online tax account?

My accountant thinks it is sufficient to de-authorise him either from his side or my side, but Maslin's post in this thread seemed indicate that accountant removing client from their client list at their side might not be sufficient.

Any advice is much appreciated.

[Hex]

Do none of you lot remember Darren Upton?

[FrontEnder]

Sort of what Martin said, I know from the accountant's side that we can very easily delete a client from the list in our portal from a given tax. However we've noticed whilst it does remove them from appearing online, it seems that does not actually stop us being the authorised agent. Ie we'll still get copies of lots of bits of post. Quite frustrating when you part company (whether on good or bad terms) and for years after you're still receiving lots of unwanted post!

Sounds like HMRC are in serious breach of the data protection act.

[AJ1982]

When logged into my HMRC gov gateway and in the Manage Services section I see my registered service, and on the left Manage Administrators and Manage Assistants. Clicking on any of these or the other links does not reveal the previous accountant's name or association with my self-assessment tax account.

It's possible she cancelled it, but I'd like to be sure. If you know where this should appear if it still exists I'd be greatly appreciative of that tidbit of info!

Regards,
Simeon

Just checked myself, mine says "Manage Agents".

Possibly if this option is not there, you may be able to assume you have none. Depends how long its been since you removed your accountant.

Was just reading this thread thinking theres some good advice, then realised I posted it originally

[Maslins]

Afraid I don't know from the client's side. I would've hoped there would be an option within your HMRC portal...but then I appreciate that's changing so much these days that every day it seems everything moves around and links that once you could rely on have disappeared.

Sort of what Martin said, I know from the accountant's side that we can very easily delete a client from the list in our portal from a given tax. However we've noticed whilst it does remove them from appearing online, it seems that does not actually stop us being the authorised agent. Ie we'll still get copies of lots of bits of post. Quite frustrating when you part company (whether on good or bad terms) and for years after you're still receiving lots of unwanted post!

More generally though I'd agree with Kenny. Even if you've left on slightly bad terms (your use of the word "sacked" implies it!) then I can't imagine any accountant would waste their time and risk come back (as well as simply being mega unprofessional) by mucking about with your tax affairs out of spite. Therefore I wouldn't spend much time stressing about how to remove their access.

[Simeon]

Where in HMRC Services is this found?

Under "Manage Services" once logged in, you can remove your agent for each service.

When logged into my HMRC gov gateway and in the Manage Services section I see my registered service, and on the left Manage Administrators and Manage Assistants. Clicking on any of these or the other links does not reveal the previous accountant's name or association with my self-assessment tax account.

It's possible she cancelled it, but I'd like to be sure. If you know where this should appear if it still exists I'd be greatly appreciative of that tidbit of info!

Regards,
Simeon

[AJ1982]

Go here and login... Government Gateway - Home

It is same username and password for me as HMRC.

Under "Manage Services" once logged in, you can remove your agent for each service.

Im not sure how official this is though. Worth a try.

[northernladuk]

Yes NLUK I have googled...

Have spoken to your.... Oh hang on.. Forget that.

Have to ask why did you sack your accountant before either having another one lined up or at least speaking to another one first?

[ContrataxLtd]

As Kenny said, when the new one is authorised it replaces the old one. This is only good if you are getting a new accountant though.

If you are concerned about the old one still having authorisation either phone or write to HMRC (you will need to do this for each tax they had authorisation for). The problem here is that it will take you ages on hold to each different department before you can speak to HMRC so writing may seem best. However, HMRC like to take a few months to process post at the moment so it's going to be a slow process either way.

Your old accountant should be able to delete you from their authorised lists electronically but experience says this doesn't always work and you are relying the old accountant to actually do this.

Martin
Contratax Ltd

[Kenny@MyAccountantFriend]

If you appoint a new accountant when they authorise themselves it will replace the old accountants and they will no longer be able to access your records.

I am not sure why the old accountants would want to access any of your records if they are no longer acting for you though.

[7specialgems]

Sacked my accountant today.

Had a mooch around HMRC online but can't see anything that allows me to notify them that my accountant has been binned.

I see there's a 64-8 form to instruct a new agent, how about binning the last one?

Yes NLUK I have googled...