Reply to: Living a Nightmare with SJD Accountancy

[cojak]

And since we all empathise with the OP’s predicament and have offered solutions, thread closed.

[Lance]

Which is exactly what happened to me and has happened to a number of other posters on these forums.

and me.
I expected this so built the information into FreeAgent from the spreadsheet.
This was before the total deterioration in service so I got SJD to do the year end accounts before moving (about 6 months, but I had every record for the current year).

[northernladuk]

He won't . None of us did. We went to a new accountant and let them sort it out. In my specific case SJD didn't send over the required data to them so they had to rebuild things from my own records in order to complete my year end paperwork.
.

Which is exactly what happened to me and has happened to a number of other posters on these forums.

[malvolio]

What's that got to do with the topic that OP posted? Is your accountant sent from heaven? Shall I also start digging into your history and keep going - is this you? Is this you? This is a weird weird forum. One little post triggers a pack of hyenas calling people fools and idiots and what not. Just wow.


OP - Good luck getting an answer from these lot. All they will say - "why are you here fool? You idiot. Talk to your accountant blah blah. Is this you? Is this you?". My advice - don't burn bridges and take a diplomatic approach. Hope you get your problem resolved.

He won't . None of us did. We went to a new accountant and let them sort it out. In my specific case SJD didn't send over the required data to them so they had to rebuild things from my own records in order to complete my year end paperwork.

That apart, we are not having a go at the OP, but at people telling us SJD are reliable accountants. They aren't, and I'm fairly sure the OP would agree.

[pkm]

This not you?
https://forums.contractoruk.com/acco...from-home.html

What's that got to do with the topic that OP posted? Is your accountant sent from heaven? Shall I also start digging into your history and keep going - is this you? Is this you? This is a weird weird forum. One little post triggers a pack of hyenas calling people fools and idiots and what not. Just wow.


OP - Good luck getting an answer from these lot. All they will say - "why are you here fool? You idiot. Talk to your accountant blah blah. Is this you? Is this you?". My advice - don't burn bridges and take a diplomatic approach. Hope you get your problem resolved.

[malvolio]

This not you?
https://forums.contractoruk.com/acco...from-home.html

Yes it was. The accountant's answer was, shall we say, less than precise. QED.

[WTFH]

I did not ask any. I'm not the OP.

This not you?
https://forums.contractoruk.com/acco...from-home.html

[northernladuk]

Looks like you lot have an axe to grind for some reason.

This is not my thread and it is not about me. I only posted an opinion - it's a free world after all. I chose to stay for a bit and I've described my experience with SJD to the OP and suggested that he/she take a polite diplomatic approach. Your experience may differ. That's fine too. Calling people fools and idiots just shows your character. Well there are 15000 of them at present according to SJD.

Get back to the topic and not derail OP's thread?

Because we've been personally burned and spent a lot of time trying to help people out of messes with SJD on here. Not only are we hacked off ex customers we also see zero threads recommending or complimenting their services and hundreds of unhappy people with the same complaint. The fact it's run by a faceless venture capital firm doesn't bode well for any service let alone the evidence that we've personally encountered and is on here in black and white for all to see.

A quality service is not just one that runs well when it's running well. It's how they handle themselves when it goes wrong or gets complicated and they do this very badly. We know the service is crap. You don't.... yet. It's like owning a TVR. They are super reliable when it's running well but it won't for long.

[pkm]

And at such point as she leaves (and the good ones do, so you're buggered either way) you'll find, as with others on here, that the process of extracting yourself from them becomes even harder as the replacement won't read your emails. Still, maybe they'll leak your year end accounts onto the dark web and you can obtain them from there.

Being on Freeagent is a good move, they won't be able to leak that as easily.

It isn't anyone's experience... until it is. We've had exactly the same post as yours above numerous times on here and in some cases the poster pops up a bit later with a tale of woe similar to this. Staying just because it seems to be OK now is just silly. So many people having issues it's a matter of when, not if. Why would you stay with a company that's highly likely to shaft you. You are getting away with it now, not enjoying good service. You used to pay well above average for this risk as well.

You are posting on a thread where someone is having problems. On the same thread you are getting the same feedback from people about SJD and there is also anecdotal evidence that it will go wrong. To sit there thinking every thing is OK because you've gotten away with it is pretty poor IMO.

Ask them if they can do your year end accounts early. That's a common one that people get let down by, they'll charge you to do it early and then be later than you wanted.

Doesn't hurt to change accountants, its easy to do, the change can be refreshing and also cheaper and you are avoiding a potential risk that you know is realised at regular intervals. Beggars belief why people stay.

I had four - count them, four - "personal" accountants in the last six months with them, none with any notification, none with any apparent talent for the job. I'd been with them for at least 15 years prior to that and they were faultless and attentive. It all went to ratchet when they were sold. And I've been running the company perfectly well since 1996 without any issues until SJD started randomising stuff.

Since you are determined to ignore what you are being told, then fine, it's your risk. But stop trying to persuade us that it's all our fault. It's not us that are the fools here.

Looks like you lot have an axe to grind for some reason.

This is not my thread and it is not about me. I only posted an opinion - it's a free world after all. I chose to stay for a bit and I've described my experience with SJD to the OP and suggested that he/she take a polite diplomatic approach. Your experience may differ. That's fine too. Calling people fools and idiots just shows your character. Well there are 15000 of them at present according to SJD.

Get back to the topic and not derail OP's thread?

[malvolio]

I've been with a couple of accountants before. The service is no different.

All that matters is your relationship with your personal accountant. If you've fallen out with him/her, it makes sense to leave. SJD is just a company - now very big as a part of optionis group.

The OP mentioned a deadline miss with company accounts. You have like a year to prepare and file accounts. I'm generally very organised. I drop them a polite email just after year end and then keep following it up. I know accountants are busy and they are not personal servants. I give them ample time. It gets done in 2-3 months and gets filed. Now if you start complaining higher up the chain it is only going to make anyone defensive. Annual accounts is the only thing that takes time. Everything else seems to be done on time. At least for me.

As I've said I have no attachment to SJD. I'll go if she goes. The only time I was unhappy when they got hacked.

I had four - count them, four - "personal" accountants in the last six months with them, none with any notification, none with any apparent talent for the job. I'd been with them for at least 15 years prior to that and they were faultless and attentive. It all went to ratchet when they were sold. And I've been running the company perfectly well since 1996 without any issues until SJD started randomising stuff.

Since you are determined to ignore what you are being told, then fine, it's your risk. But stop trying to persuade us that it's all our fault. It's not us that are the fools here.

[pkm]

Sounds like you've chosen bad accountants in the past.




Except you ask us questions that you could ask your accountant.

I did not ask any. I'm not the OP.


Regarding bad accountants - I have no opinion. Work gets done. That's all that matters.

[WTFH]

I've been with a couple of accountants before. The service is no different.

Sounds like you've chosen bad accountants in the past.

I'm generally very organised.

Except you ask us questions that you could ask your accountant.

[pkm]

Missing two jey deadlines ignoring my instructions re salary, buggering up my year end numbers and costing me fines with HMRC...

Yeah, of course I should have stayed with them. How certain sare you that the service you're getting is any good or bears any relation to reality? 'Cos I'm not...

I've been with a couple of accountants before. The service is no different.

All that matters is your relationship with your personal accountant. If you've fallen out with him/her, it makes sense to leave. SJD is just a company - now very big as a part of optionis group.

The OP mentioned a deadline miss with company accounts. You have like a year to prepare and file accounts. I'm generally very organised. I drop them a polite email just after year end and then keep following it up. I know accountants are busy and they are not personal servants. I give them ample time. It gets done in 2-3 months and gets filed. Now if you start complaining higher up the chain it is only going to make anyone defensive. Annual accounts is the only thing that takes time. Everything else seems to be done on time. At least for me.

As I've said I have no attachment to SJD. I'll go if she goes. The only time I was unhappy when they got hacked.

[Fred Bloggs]

For the avoidance of doubt, anyone using the named company or any of it's sister companies is an idiot. Simple.

[northernladuk]

This you lad? https://forums.contractoruk.com/acco...-or-going.html

If enough people have had such a negative, actually an abusive experience with them, because it's not happening to you now doesn't mean it won't

This company don't answer the phone, don't respond to emails, notified customers of a data breach a year after it happened, have effectively half done a moonlight flit

How many more signals do you want or need to get out?!

"But he said he loves me..."

OMG lol. I've just seen the link. So to add to my point you are on a thread about someone with problems yet you deny their existance, you put up a poll where 87% of people said leave and you are still there? What answer did you need to convince you to go? Honestly....