Reply to: Upton & Co restraining and freezing injunctions

[BA to the Stars]

Our come on you don't really believe that do you?

So you think it's best to choose an accountant who has no staff, no support, who answers all the calls whether it be from prospective customers, existing clients or somebody trying to sell them a new photocopier, has to worry about paying their bills, office rent, ordering the stationery not to mention the endless pursuit of hunting down more new business and developing plans to grow their business whilst running their business? Hey wait a minute this sounds like my life as a contractor.

Surely every one man band dreams of the day their business has grown so much that they can hire more staff and keep growing so they can hire even more staff. I very much doubt any successful business person wants to stay as a one man band forever.

And how on earth does a one man band accountant answer his phone when he's on holiday? I can see the scene now, there they are playing in the sun with their family in the Caribbean and ring ring ring ring 'Oh I know your on holiday but I just have this question about VAT'.

My accountants life is far easier, all he has to do is focus all his attention, time and effort on providing the very best service he can to me. He doesn't have all the worry about running his business, somebody else is doing it for him and when he goes on holiday somebody else helps me. The last thing I'd want to do is call him on his holiday, give the poor guy a break.

It is so nice of you to care for the clients and staff of an accountants you do not use

[thomas47]

Interesting that Uptons have made no formal comment to this thread.

I think like a few others on this forum i am another unhappy Brookson customer Despite numerous phone call requests i have never yet managed to speak to an account there directly

(i note a large advert from PlanIt services on this forum - but never heard anyone recommend them!)

[williamdavis]

Darren and another accountant I know of near me in London, who is cheaper than SJD/Brooksons, have a habit of answering their phones and emailing when they are on one of their holidays.

One thing you have to remember is the more staff you employ the bigger your overheads.

Oh come on you don't really believe that do you?

So you think it's best to choose an accountant who has no staff, no support, who answers all the calls whether it be from prospective customers, existing clients or somebody trying to sell them a new photocopier, has to worry about paying their bills, office rent, ordering the stationery not to mention the endless pursuit of hunting down more new business and developing plans to grow their business whilst running their business? Hey wait a minute this sounds like my life as a contractor.

Surely every one man band dreams of the day their business has grown so much that they can hire more staff and keep growing so they can hire even more staff. I very much doubt any successful business person wants to stay as a one man band forever.

And how on earth does a one man band accountant answer his phone when he's on holiday? I can see the scene now, there they are playing in the sun with their family in the Caribbean and ring ring ring ring 'Oh I know your on holiday but I just have this question about VAT'.

My accountants life is far easier, all he has to do is focus all his attention, time and effort on providing the very best service he can to me. He doesn't have all the worry about running his business, somebody else is doing it for him and when he goes on holiday somebody else helps me. The last thing I'd want to do is call him on his holiday, give the poor guy a break.

[SueEllen]

Darren and another accountant I know of near me in London, who is cheaper than SJD/Brooksons, have a habit of answering their phones and emailing when they are on one of their holidays.

One thing you have to remember is the more staff you employ the bigger your overheads.

[Jaded]

Perhaps these are the reasons for higher fees?

http://www.regtransfers.co.uk/main/stories/bow11e.asp

Or

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/...or-reborn.html

Make your own mind up.

[NetwkSupport]

From my personal point of view, I spokle to 3 accountants, a local independant, SJD and Uptons, of the 3 Uptons seemed to know what they were talking about the most, and actually seemed to be interested in my business and not just selling me a service.

The independant did not understand IT at all and the guy I spoke to at SJD just didn't seem to care about answering any of my questions, he was more of a salesman than an accountant. However Darren spent about half an hour on the phone to me explaining how he worked and what Uptons (or 1st Accountancy as it was then) would and would not do for me.

i second that. I chose uptons due to the above too. I also know i can pretty much ring him about any query i have and get an answer straight away without having to fend off call handling systems, leaving messages that dont get returned etc...

I think its competitively priced because they are in west yorkshire (cheaper rent and salaries than london!)

[blacjac]

What i cant understand is how accountants like NW & Uptons can offer a accountacy service so much lower cost that the likes of SJD and brookson.
Either NW/uptons use cheap resources or SJD/brooksons are takig us for a ride. or is it a matter of "you get what you pay for" in terms of service levels.

From my personal point of view, I spokle to 3 accountants, a local independant, SJD and Uptons, of the 3 Uptons seemed to know what they were talking about the most, and actually seemed to be interested in my business and not just selling me a service.

The independant did not understand IT at all and the guy I spoke to at SJD just didn't seem to care about answering any of my questions, he was more of a salesman than an accountant. However Darren spent about half an hour on the phone to me explaining how he worked and what Uptons (or 1st Accountancy as it was then) would and would not do for me.

[williamdavis]

What i cant understand is how accountants like NW & Uptons can offer a accountacy service so much lower cost that the likes of SJD and brookson.
Either NW/uptons use cheap resources or SJD/brooksons are takig us for a ride. or is it a matter of "you get what you pay for" in terms of service levels.

Interesting point, I suppose you could always check out their websites, give them a call, see what they offer, review their credentials, see if they've had any issues, ask other contractors and then chose who you think will provide the best level of service that most meets your requirements. Kind of like you do with every considered purchase. Alternatively you could just chose the cheapest? Like you say sometimes you do actually get what you pay for.

People who don't operate under this premise and prefer try to conceal and deceive always get caught out.

To be honest I'm most of the companies you quote above have been around long enough and I'd say must be true to their word and are delivering what they say.

[SueEllen]

What i cant understand is how accountants like NW & Uptons can offer a accountacy service so much lower cost that the likes of SJD and brookson.
Either NW/uptons use cheap resources or SJD/brooksons are takig us for a ride. or is it a matter of "you get what you pay for" in terms of service levels.

Being based in London I tend to find with services like accountants and solicitors they are cheaper if they are smaller and not based full-time in London.

[cojak]

or is it a matter of "you get what you pay for" in terms of service levels.

That about covers it...

[thomas47]

It wasn't my intention but can't speak for others on this thread.

All I was looking for was for somebody to point me in the right direction: which they did: http://forums.contractoruk.com/accounting-legal/46420-upton-accountants-trouble.html

Like I said Darren seems like a respectable chap and has always been a good asset on the forum. Nice to see his clients stick up for him.

What i cant understand is how accountants like NW & Uptons can offer a accountacy service so much lower cost that the likes of SJD and brookson.
Either NW/uptons use cheap resources or SJD/brooksons are takig us for a ride. or is it a matter of "you get what you pay for" in terms of service levels.

[williamdavis]

It wasn't my intention but can't speak for others on this thread.

All I was looking for was for somebody to point me in the right direction: which they did: http://forums.contractoruk.com/accounting-legal/46420-upton-accountants-trouble.html

Like I said Darren seems like a respectable chap and has always been a good asset on the forum. Nice to see his clients stick up for him.

[NetwkSupport]

I wouldnt be suprised if williamdavis and Jaded were sockpuppets for a rival accountancy firm trying to blacken the upton name......

[williamdavis]

Williamdavis, why are you raising this as an issue? As i see on another thread you state you are happy with SJD?

Are you thinking of switching accountants?

Are there any existing or new Upton clients that can offer any feedback on how (if at all) this has affected their accountancy service?

One of the permies in the office sent it to me, I saw the JSA, Sunday Solutions, Albany, offshore scheme posts and wanted to know what was going on, I'm a bit nosey like that plus it was a dull day in the office. I've seen Darren's posts in the past and he always seemed like an ok kind of guy. To be honest I was surprised to read the words restraining and injunctions linked to Uptons.

I'm sure he has a strong core of followers.

[Clippy]

Been with uptons about 4 years. No problems here.

As a client or PR spokesman?