Reply to: SATR Q for Accountants

[youngguy]

For completeness and fairness I wanted to post how this concluded.

After posting here InTouch did finally respond and alter their position.

The previous quoted price to complete the SATR was reduced from £144 to £18

InTouch said they had to charge a fee to cover their contractual policy. When I queried this they stated that "due to insurance purposes we can decide to charge a nominal fee".

I won't pretend to understand I know what that means!

Issue closed for me - my new Accountant is picking up the work.

[youngguy]

I think if I were in your shoes I'd threaten to complain (both to their institute and on the internet at large). I'd anticipate when that gets fed back to the boss/whatever then they'll agree to do it as a "goodwill gesture" even if they don't accept it is their responsibility.

I did that. Intouch's Director of Operations just gave me the same answer as my Accountant, saying I would have had to pay another 3 months to get the 'free SATR' service. Of course as they wouldn't be doing anything else this is nothing like free.

Also...did you have any particularly complex personal income during that year? If it was just salary/dividends, and they've done it before so have all your details already set up on their system, then it's probably no more than half an hour's work, so can't understand why they're quibbling over it!

Just a standard solo contractor with salary and dividends, plus a couple of hundred quid for a part time role.

Interesting that you estimate how quick an SATR is. I suspected it wasn't a big job!!

Really disappointed with InTouch - I've always recommended them but I can't say I will be doing that again based on this experience.

[Jessica@WhiteFieldTax]

My view is I'd expect them to do it for no additional fee.

I personally don't really agree with the whole "check the engagement letter" tactic. Whilst that may well be the legal terms you've signed up to, I'd prefer to think that "what's reasonable" is what should prevail. I'd hate to think a client of ours might ever take advantage of some poor wording in the small print of an engagement letter, but similarly we'd never look to exploit that either.

FWIW it sounds like you are being very reasonable (especially your appreciation that getting your accounts done post leaving won't be their top priority). I think if I were in your shoes I'd threaten to complain (both to their institute and on the internet at large). I'd anticipate when that gets fed back to the boss/whatever then they'll agree to do it as a "goodwill gesture" even if they don't accept it is their responsibility.

Also...did you have any particularly complex personal income during that year? If it was just salary/dividends, and they've done it before so have all your details already set up on their system, then it's probably no more than half an hour's work, so can't understand why they're quibbling over it! If on the other hand you've got dozens of international investments, BTL properties here there and everywhere etc, and they're a standard contractor accountancy firm, I can perhaps better understand their reluctance.

I agree. Whilst the Engagement Letter is the basis for resolving a dispute, long story short is that for an accountant an SAR is a bog standard 10 minute job in most cases. A dispute over whether to do it or not takes longer than getting on and doing it anyway.

[Maslins]

My view is I'd expect them to do it for no additional fee.

I personally don't really agree with the whole "check the engagement letter" tactic. Whilst that may well be the legal terms you've signed up to, I'd prefer to think that "what's reasonable" is what should prevail. I'd hate to think a client of ours might ever take advantage of some poor wording in the small print of an engagement letter, but similarly we'd never look to exploit that either.

FWIW it sounds like you are being very reasonable (especially your appreciation that getting your accounts done post leaving won't be their top priority). I think if I were in your shoes I'd threaten to complain (both to their institute and on the internet at large). I'd anticipate when that gets fed back to the boss/whatever then they'll agree to do it as a "goodwill gesture" even if they don't accept it is their responsibility.

Also...did you have any particularly complex personal income during that year? If it was just salary/dividends, and they've done it before so have all your details already set up on their system, then it's probably no more than half an hour's work, so can't understand why they're quibbling over it! If on the other hand you've got dozens of international investments, BTL properties here there and everywhere etc, and they're a standard contractor accountancy firm, I can perhaps better understand their reluctance.

[youngguy]

No.

I meant to ask if you were moving to a new accountant. I wasn't; perhaps that was part of why they were more willing to go the extra mile.

I did move yes, however for me that is irrelevant. I paid them for a service and they didn't deliver, not can they show me that they made me aware of this when I signed up.

I will complain however I don't really have confidence in them - the last two years my accounts had mistakes - and given their reluctance to discuss this matter with me it is probably best I leave it to my new Accountant and pay the extra.

[VectraMan]

It wasn't InTouch by any chance was it? If so then I can inform everyone on here they have a very different policy nowadays.

No.

I meant to ask if you were moving to a new accountant. I wasn't; perhaps that was part of why they were more willing to go the extra mile.

[youngguy]

I did exactly the same thing 5 years ago having taken a permie job starting in May and paid the (well known on here) accountant until the end of April, and they did do the SA for me.

They had three weeks where you were paying them to do the SA; the delay wasn't for your benefit. So I think you're justified in having a moan.

It wasn't InTouch by any chance was it? If so then I can inform everyone on here they have a very different policy nowadays.

[youngguy]

If they are regulated, it will say on their website which regulatory body to which they belong. Did you leave them on bad terms?

If you'd paid up for the full tax year then don't see it being much of a problem, especially if the accounts that have been prepared cover that period.

Not at all. They were fairly decent when I was with them. I only left InTouch as their portal was taking an increasing amount of time to use and the changes they had made made things more difficult for me. For me their portal was going backwards rather than improving.

I moved to a Free agent accountant which has saved me loads of time every month and gives me much more visibility.

Their service dramatically went downhill from there. They were quite slow with doing my final accounts (fair enough, as a leaving customer I can see why I get put to the bottom of the pile) and needed chasing 4 times over several months.

I'd have hoped they would have been more professional but I guess the moment they could make no more £ they were not interested.

They said they will do the SATR for an additional fee but it is more expensive than if my new Accountant does it. My other option is to remain a customer of theirs for 3 months months (at over £100pcm) in order to qualify for their 'free' SATR......

Actually their monthly fee is more expensive than my new Accountant as well so I am well shot of the old lot

[Darren at Fox-Bartfield]

Accountants

If they are regulated, it will say on their website which regulatory body to which they belong. Did you leave them on bad terms?

If you'd paid up for the full tax year then don't see it being much of a problem, especially if the accounts that have been prepared cover that period.

[VectraMan]

I did exactly the same thing 5 years ago having taken a permie job starting in May and paid the (well known on here) accountant until the end of April, and they did do the SA for me.

They had three weeks where you were paying them to do the SA; the delay wasn't for your benefit. So I think you're justified in having a moan.

[youngguy]

My experience is there are no hard and fast rules.

It really comes down to engagement letter.

Press for that, and if it's not forthcoming then if they are regulated stick in a complaint. If they are not then you may have to cut your losses.

I pressed for the letter to see if I had missed something/not kept all of my paperwork. All I got back was something that was created with yesterday's date, but with an address I was at 3 years ago.

It looked like it has been written yesterday but " back addressed" to give the impression it was from 3 years ago. I'd have expected an actual copy of what I signed to be on my file - maybe their admin is even worse than mine! Ironically that version didn't have the condition around duration of SATR which they are now citing.

Thanks. I will initiate a complaint - I would hope they are regulated as they are one of the well known accountants on here...

[youngguy]

Question: were you paying a "monthly fee" or was it an annual one that was divide over the months?
How long were you with them for?

Monthly fee.

I was with them from the start of the 13/14 tax year.

[WTFH]

Question: were you paying a "monthly fee" or was it an annual one that was divide over the months?
How long were you with them for?

[Jessica@WhiteFieldTax]

My experience is there are no hard and fast rules.

It really comes down to engagement letter.

Press for that, and if it's not forthcoming then if they are regulated stick in a complaint. If they are not then you may have to cut your losses.

[Michael at BI Accountancy]

I would say that if you have paid there fees that covered the tax period 6th April - 5th April that they should be completing the SA for you.