Reply to: SJD and Free Agent

[Fargo]

I agree with those that say move away from SJD. I had awful service for ages. Then, one day, after chasing my accountant for weeks for a telephone meet to review a few things, he finally said that I should not expect to get too much access to him... after all, he is a Senior Accountant and has many other duties! Well, I guess I didn't feel as honoured as he thought I should and told them to shove it.

FreeAgent is good though.

[yamyam]

Do you research, ring them up and speak to the accountant so that you know who you will be dealing with and how your queries will be handled. One of the good thing among others I like about Gorilla is that I get direct access to my accountant.

Happy to share my referral if you are interested.

Thanks, I approached Gorilla a year ago & SJD gave me a discount when I said I was off. They've put it back up since & service has been dire!

[eek]

I agree and won't use similar phrase again but my point was that they haven't been picked up on, just me.

If you are being paid for referrals you should make that 100% clear.

[JHamp82]

And that makes it right?

Recommendations should be entirely impartial and not imply - even vaguely - some kind of reward or recompense for giving one.

I agree and won't use similar phrase again but my point was that they haven't been picked up on, just me.

[malvolio]

Well others who recommend them have used similar phrases as well?

And that makes it right?

Recommendations should be entirely impartial and not imply - even vaguely - some kind of reward or recompense for giving one.

[JHamp82]

Could be the phrase "share my referral" indicate a degree of bias?

Well others who recommend them have used similar phrases as well?

[malvolio]

Not really. Have you not seen the post I replied to? I am using their service and like it so what is wrong in suggesting this to others?

Could be the phrase "share my referral" indicate a degree of bias?

[JHamp82]

Hmmm… Anyone would think that you’re only on this forum to promote that accountant…

Not really. Have you not seen the post I replied to? I am using their service and like it so what is wrong in suggesting this to others?

[cojak]

Do you research, ring them up and speak to the accountant so that you know who you will be dealing with and how your queries will be handled. One of the good thing among others I like about Gorilla is that I get direct access to my accountant.

Happy to share my referral if you are interested.

Hmmm… Anyone would think that you’re only on this forum to promote that accountant…

[JHamp82]

I have been waiting for SJD to complete an accountant certificate since mid March. They are uncontactable via email or phone. Sometimes you may get to speak to someone. They moved me 'accountants' several times in last few years. Eventually said their printers, scanners & phones were not working & took weeks to send unsigned / unstamped / not on company headed paper - accounts details to my mortgage company. They completed my 2021 accounts 2 weeks ago & I'm off to another accountants imminently.

Do you research, ring them up and speak to the accountant so that you know who you will be dealing with and how your queries will be handled. One of the good thing among others I like about Gorilla is that I get direct access to my accountant.

Happy to share my referral if you are interested.

[JHamp82]

I was a happy'ish customer with SJD for 11 years.

Over that time the service degraded slowly. Akin to a frog being heated slowly in a sauce pan, I didn't really notice the problems.

Then the issues started to get unavoidable. The non-stop procession of "Accountants" handling my account end up with a graduate kid that didn't even know how dividends should be treated for tax. Every question was answered with "I will have to check that with a senior accountant..." or "I'm still waiting for my mangers response..."

Outstanding EOY account filling was chased to the point of threatening legal action and I began the process of finding another firm.

Shortly after that, news of a data breach was drip feed in obfuscated emails about service interruptions and SJD closed their doors to customer questions.

It's taken 2 months to move my affairs to another accountancy firm, but the service provided by Gorilla accounting has been exceptional. Including daily chases of SJD for missing documentation and helping me file backdated VAT returns that SJD had lied about filing themselves.

TL;DR

Find an alternative accountancy firm as soon as possible. The difference in skill and service will be amazing and you'll save money too. SJD charges are extremely high for what's on offer.

I agree with this comment. I have been Gorilla for a while now and the service I have has been excellent. Regular reminders, proactive reviews and tax planning helps me work tax efficiently.

[yamyam]

I have been waiting for SJD to complete an accountant certificate since mid March. They are uncontactable via email or phone. Sometimes you may get to speak to someone. They moved me 'accountants' several times in last few years. Eventually said their printers, scanners & phones were not working & took weeks to send unsigned / unstamped / not on company headed paper - accounts details to my mortgage company. They completed my 2021 accounts 2 weeks ago & I'm off to another accountants imminently.

[Cr1spy]

I was a happy'ish customer with SJD for 11 years.

Over that time the service degraded slowly. Akin to a frog being heated slowly in a sauce pan, I didn't really notice the problems.

Then the issues started to get unavoidable. The non-stop procession of "Accountants" handling my account end up with a graduate kid that didn't even know how dividends should be treated for tax. Every question was answered with "I will have to check that with a senior accountant..." or "I'm still waiting for my mangers response..."

Outstanding EOY account filling was chased to the point of threatening legal action and I began the process of finding another firm.

Shortly after that, news of a data breach was drip feed in obfuscated emails about service interruptions and SJD closed their doors to customer questions.

It's taken 2 months to move my affairs to another accountancy firm, but the service provided by Gorilla accounting has been exceptional. Including daily chases of SJD for missing documentation and helping me file backdated VAT returns that SJD had lied about filing themselves.

TL;DR

Find an alternative accountancy firm as soon as possible. The difference in skill and service will be amazing and you'll save money too. SJD charges are extremely high for what's on offer.

[Lance]

I'd suggest moving to another accountants who run FreeAgent. I have just signed up with Clever Accounts for one of my businesses and been really impressed.

aren't Clever one on the list of 'I've been let down by....'? I'm sure I saw that.

I know a customer of theirs personally. They had to leave as EU VAT rules post Brexit were beyond unfathomable to the accountant.

[Andy Hallett]

I'd suggest moving to another accountants who run FreeAgent. I have just signed up with Clever Accounts for one of my businesses and been really impressed.