Reply to: New Accountant - Not Impressed

[valluvan]

Bollocks.

I pay less than 75 notes a month and I get an excellent service. I used to pay well over a ton with an award winning contractors accountant and the service was appalling...

Looking to move away from my current accountants.Can I ask who you are with currently and how much do you pay?

[SackmanandCo]

A higher price doesnt always mean a better service. We charge middle of the road prices but we tak eon the risk by offering a money back guarantee

[aceboy]

Whom is your new accountnat? I would recomend mine.... but they may be the same!

[ratewhore]

£75 basic service don't expect much. For £147 I'd expect a more personal service as I should be getting more time.

Bollocks.

I pay less than 75 notes a month and I get an excellent service. I used to pay well over a ton with an award winning contractors accountant and the service was appalling...

[Alan @ BroomeAffinity]

Personally I would recommend that you ask to speak to someone senior, a manager, and ask for the penalties to be repaid to you if you can prove that you were not informed; or rather, that they do not have the evidence to disprove your claim.

I'd agree with that. Make enough of a stink and you might get your month's fee refunded as well. On the (rare) occasion that we miss a filing deadline, we stump up penalties immediately, without question, often even if it isn't our fault. If a client is worth about £3,000 over 3 years, then surely paying a £150 filing penalty just to keep the client happy is worthwhile. But then we, and it has to be said most of the accountants posting on here, are service-oriented rather than price-oriented.

[Sally BFCA]

Recently joined up with an accountancy recommended on these pages & I have to confess I'm far from impressed so far. I get the impression that I have been assigned a junior & he is far from helpful. The only thing in which he does seem to excel is covering his own arse. Basically, my returns are late because there have been a few teething problems - they work slightly differently to my old lot & I understand that. But to have this guy not giving me the information I need & then sending out official letters telling me I'll be liable to penalties because I haven't taken action on various things that he claims to have informed me of ( and he hasn't) sticks in the craw somewhat.
I have to ask myself the question who's the client in this relationship?

Personally I would recommend that you ask to speak to someone senior, a manager, and ask for the penalties to be repaid to you if you can prove that you were not informed; or rather, that they do not have the evidence to disprove your claim.

[d000hg]

Sorry, I got my quoting messed up

[SueEllen]

That's reasonable, but I'm still unsure what this thread is for. Were you after advice, or did you need to vent a bit?

I didn't start the thread wurzel did........

And it seems he was venting due to going from a high cost accountant to a lower cost one who crops up on here and isn't performing.

[d000hg]

When you complain about a company it's only reasonable you give them a proper chance to sort things out before mentioning them in public.

That's reasonable, but I'm still unsure what this thread is for. Were you after advice, or did you need to vent a bit?

[d000hg]

What is the point of your input here, people have mentioned other accountants and as soon as you get a hold of one you slate them for their charges, you don't mention their service.

Of the 3 I contacted two were helpful and got back to me straight away. The 3rd took a couple of days to respond and wanted to charge me £300 to join them, as well as extra fees per month because I use freelancers myself. As a first indication of service, how is this not reasonable for complaint?
Cost is not everything, but the fact a company wants to charge me for becoming their customer does not give the impression they give a damn about me.

[Robot]

What's the point of this thread unless you say who you used to be with, and who you are now? Might be helpful for those Quay customers looking to move.

On cost, while you might expect a broad trend that quality increases with cost, that's very generalised

What is the point of your input here, people have mentioned other accountants and as soon as you get a hold of one you slate them for their charges, you don't mention their service.

For you cost seems to be everything, service and advice means nothing IMHO.

Robot

[SueEllen]

What's the point of this thread unless you say who you used to be with, and who you are now? Might be helpful for those Quay customers looking to move.

On cost, while you might expect a broad trend that quality increases with cost, that's very generalised

When you complain about a company it's only reasonable you give them a proper chance to sort things out before mentioning them in public.

Mind you some companies take the biscuit. Thames Water have now given me £40 of my bill for not answering an email in 2007. Unfortunately only way I can escape them is moving to a different area. Least with accountants there are plenty of them..............

[d000hg]

What's the point of this thread unless you say who you used to be with, and who you are now? Might be helpful for those Quay customers looking to move.

On cost, while you might expect a broad trend that quality increases with cost, that's very generalised

[Newby]

hmmmm

Price is relevent I agree,

However, the reason you are recommending your accountant doesnt appear to be financially led - merely that they have done a great job for you and you get on well with them.

For me it is about the accountant I deal with first, then the price I pay.

[SueEllen]

I think you problem Wuzel is that you were expecting the same service for a lower cost. This doesn't simply happen. Paying less means you will get a lower service and will have to do more things yourself.

However if you sent the accountants information requested in time and they can't do the return in time then there is a problem.

Also why is the guy sending you out letters in this day and age? Every solicitor and accountant I've used and know deals with email as they get responses quicker. Letters are only sent when paper work is needed for filing.

I currently having a problem with an accountant I've been at with years and they will probably lose a customer.