Reply to: new accountant and how easy to change

[Technically Blonde]

...I repeat do not use ITAccounting online! Since they changed hands some time ago their level of service has dropped through the floor...

what's going on with ITAccounting online then? Are they affected by Safe Solutions problems?

[Darren@UptonAccountants]

Jsa

three weeks!!! When I was with ITA it used to take months if not years to get information out of JSA - even with a constant barrage of phone calls, emails, letters and faxes. What's your secret Darren?

Dunno, 3 weeks is the record at the moment....that's after the client chased as well as ourselves. Typically would be a couple of months but we do tend to chase o/s info if not received after a week.

[Technically Blonde]

The handover should be handled by the new accountant making the transition as painless as possible. We've taken over a couple from JSA and providing we obtain a written authority and chase them every couple of days the information tends to come through in about 3 weeks!

three weeks!!! When I was with ITA it used to take months if not years to get information out of JSA - even with a constant barrage of phone calls, emails, letters and faxes. What's your secret Darren?

[ratewhore]

Do Not...

...I repeat do not use ITAccounting online! Since they changed hands some time ago their level of service has dropped through the floor...

[rooney]

Jsa...

A friend of mine was with JSA and experienced some problems. On his behalf I got an accountancy chum to run a credit check and look at their published accounts. To put it bluntly I wouldn't want my money sitting with those jokers.

[Taxman]

oh wow - almost all teh accountants that i have seen advertised in these forums are about half the price (and less) of my current and some also do personal end of year tax form as well (i pay about £150 plus for that as an extra). Do i feel like a complete and utter muppet for paying so much for the last 8 years!

I'm an accountant too and as others have said, many of the big firms fail miserably. Streamlining is all well and good but no 2 cases are ever exactly the same and personal service is critical. Bigger firms tend to miss obvious points - like the thousands of pounds many can save by simply switching to the VAT Flat Rate Scheme (and to add insult to injury, it simplifies the VAT!).

Technically, your accountant should ALWAYS charge separately for your Self Assessment Tax Return, simply because it is your responsibility, not your company's - and if the company pays the cost it should therefore be treated as a taxable benefit in kind.

[SandyDown]

oh wow - almost all teh accountants that i have seen advertised in these forums are about half the price (and less) of my current and some also do personal end of year tax form as well (i pay about £150 plus for that as an extra). Do i feel like a complete and utter muppet for paying so much for the last 8 years!

You are a very small man, and not worth trusting... am glad your accountant is ripping you off...

[Darren@UptonAccountants]

Acccountants

oh wow - almost all teh accountants that i have seen advertised in these forums are about half the price (and less) of my current and some also do personal end of year tax form as well (i pay about £150 plus for that as an extra). Do i feel like a complete and utter muppet for paying so much for the last 8 years!

[Lucifer Box]

Do i feel like a complete and utter muppet for paying so much for the last 8 years!

[bassy]

oh wow - almost all teh accountants that i have seen advertised in these forums are about half the price (and less) of my current and some also do personal end of year tax form as well (i pay about £150 plus for that as an extra). Do i feel like a complete and utter muppet for paying so much for the last 8 years!

[bassy]

yes i have noticed that they are rather more expensive than the usual. However, they have made no end of mistakes on my accounts and at the end of the day the point of me having an accountant was for them to do the work - not me cleaning up after them. Someone said about getting a poor response - yep been there done that, it takes multiple emails sometimes for me to get a response from them and i am often passed around between multiple departments as no-one will take ownership of an issue and then each department says 'oh its nothing to do with us - you need to talk to this department'. I'm also not too happy at having to use their software to do my invoicing etc - that is a pain especially as the agency i am currently with auto-invoices.

Is there somewhere that accountants are listed with reviews - as i am a bit nervous of using the 'high st' accountant as i wouldnt know if he was any good (and i currently have no other source of recommendations)? Not interested in going the composite route though.

[philip@wellwoodhoyle]

Very Easy

Yes, I've taken over a few clients from JSA, and like Darren says, relatively painfree for all concerned. I had a few problems a year or two back with their *very* slow response (maybe because they were trying to cover up some mistakes), but my latest went through quickly. I've never believed how much they charge - far, far above average fees.

[Darren@UptonAccountants]

New Accountants

Hi
I am currently with JSA and am rather less than happy with their service

The handover should be handled by the new accountant making the transition as painless as possible. We've taken over a couple from JSA and providing we obtain a written authority and chase them every couple of days the information tends to come through in about 3 weeks!

[Dundeegeorge]

Another one

"I am currently with JSA and am rather less than happy with their service... "

Bloody hell, there should be an emoticon for this statement, I see it so often!

[Underscore2]

I've split from my accountants

and moved onto a composite. Its the easy way forward. I now spend no time worrying about tax, vat, filling out forms. All done for me and I get 82% return. Oh and before all the luns jump in I know Gordon will be after me - but i'll take the risk along with the other 50 guys that work for this company.