Reply to: Accountant charges for Second Director Self-Assessment

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

Am I the only one who thinks that if £72 is such a small amount, the accountant should be valuing his 10+ years relationship with his client more than to try to screw another £72 out of him.

I'd find another accountant stat and tell him to stick his 10 years x monthly payments + 72 up his bum.

Not quite the same thing though is it? £72 is not much to the individual client. Giving away lots of £72 self assessment jobs to his "valued clients" on the other hand can start to add up for an accountant.

Also don't forget that whilst a lot of self assessments are "simple", they all add to the workload for what is probably one of the busiest times of the year for an accountant.

[Platypus]

£72?? Really? ... It's nothing.

You are grumbling over a fee of £72?... Unbelievable.

£72. Really?

£72 isn't much

Am I the only one who thinks that if £72 is such a small amount, the accountant should be valuing his 10+ years relationship with his client more than to try to screw another £72 out of him.

I'd find another accountant stat and tell him to stick his 10 years x monthly payments + 72 up his bum.

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

As she has always been a shareholder, shouldn't she have always done a SA as well?

Only if she had taxable income to report.

[l35kee]

As she has always been a shareholder, shouldn't she have always done a SA as well?

[Scruff]

He might tell you to FO, before you tell him to FO...

Find another accountant, or move on. From what I gather, you don't seem that happy / satisfied with their level of paid-for service.

[ksareen]

Your wife is company secretary, which is not the same as a director.

My wife is a secretary, shareholder and a director too.

While I have no complaints for his service (and some comments from a few accountants on here make me feel blessed to be with him), I have phoned him "0" times over the last 10 years. Only occasional email contact is needed when some (VAT, companies house, tax return) filing is due and rest everything is automated as I keep on top of my book-keeping and other affairs.

I have given him recommendations/ business and been with him since he started as trainee, so I hope "he is not banging his head against a brick wall" on this minor issue. This would be a recurring charge going forward (might go to £240 next year), hence I sought to clarify what others felt here.

Thanks for your replies once again.

[WordIsBond]

The query was with regards to coverage with the "clause in contract" that I highlighted in the first post.

That clause covers 'director(s)'. Your wife is company secretary, which is not the same as a director.

You could make her a director instead and then you would technically have an argument. Technically, he has the argument on his side.

This is not the same as a utility. This is a working relationship founded on trust between two highly skilled professionals. You rely on this professional to advise on decisions that can save or cost you many thousands of pounds. You do NOT want him avoiding your calls because he doesn't really feel you are paying enough and you are challenging him on small charges here and there.

You want a total package where you feel like you get good service for a good price. You want him to feel like he's remunerated well enough to give you his best. If this £72 is going to put you into a place where you feel like you are paying too much for what you are getting, then you need a new accountant. If it isn't going to do that, then pay the £72 and forget about it.

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

£72 isn't much and seems completely reasonable to me but I still wouldn't pay it, because filling out my wife's self assessment takes all of 10 minutes and I can do it entirely through FreeAgent (as does my own).

[Spoiler]

BIK - What does this mean (is it Benefit-in-kind!?)? Yes, my company pays the monthly accountancy fees.

You should be paying for your self assessment personally.
If the company is paying for your SA then it's a personal benefit and should go on your P11D.

[ksareen]

Thanks for your reply again folks.

If cost of £72 was an issue, I would have mentioned in the first place. The query was with regards to coverage with the "clause in contract" that I highlighted in the first post.

So if you pay for your energy via direct debit and you get someone at the door to check your meter, would you hand over £72 if they just asked for it?

[NotAllThere]

I have my doubts based on these 2 points (among others) that were offered and agreed when I took up his services at his first accountancy:

* Completion of the director(s) personal tax;

If she's a director, this clause would seem to cover it.

* Note at the end: [I][B]The list is non-exhaustive, but basically anything you use during the course of your business.

Irrelevant. SA is not part of your business.

£72. Really?

[craigy1874]

You are grumbling over a fee of £72?

Sorry but that is ridiculous if you have a good working relationship with your accountant.

Honestly, you are the type of client that leaves me banging my head against a brick wall, you are being completely unreasonable.

And you are going to deal with the effort and hassle of doing it yourself, to save £72? Unbelievable.

[WordIsBond]

I pay monthly and the demand is to pay £72 to cover the wife's self-assessment.

£72?? Really?

Pay the guy his £72. Keep a copy of it. Then, next year if you want to save the £72, just do what he did but change the numbers to match what he did.

SA is really, really easy to do yourself. But if you've not been doing it, pay to make sure you see how it is done right.

If it were me, though, I'd just pay the £72. It's nothing.

[northernladuk]

I think this is what I am going to do going forward. It cannot be that difficult as you say (and I hope)

Famous last words....

[ksareen]

Thanks for your replies folks.

How much are we talking and how much to you pay him a month for their services?

I pay monthly and the demand is to pay £72 to cover the wife's self-assessment.

There has been no new agreement so the historic agreement still stands (he agrees on this). Every time he moved, I was promised that nothing has changed w.r.t. services covered for monthly charge that I pay him.

Your post history suggests that your accountant was Darren Upton back in 2011

He was indeed working with Darren where he was looking after my accounts. Both of us jumped ship (to another company of his choice) before it got submerged but the services were the same (nothing changed for me).

Are you paying BIK on this, assuming your company is paying the accountancy fees ??

BIK - What does this mean (is it Benefit-in-kind!?)? Yes, my company pays the monthly accountancy fees.

If all your wife has is salary and divi's then it shouldn't be that difficult to complete this at HMRC online yourselves to save a few quid if you're reluctant to pay for it.

I think this is what I am going to do going forward. It cannot be that difficult as you say (and I hope)