Reply to: Accountant recommendation threads inc local requests

[deeter]

Dolan are upping their prices now too:

full trading monthly fee:£125+VAT
non-trading fee: £60+VAT
Sole Trader: £60+VAT

£60 pm for non-trading is.. a bit much

[Sarah@PaperRocket]

Sarah@PaperRocket
So IR35 contract review is done by Qdos when required but is it part of the service as I do not believe this is mentioned in your packages ?

We don’t include QDOS contract reviews as part of our accounting packages. These would need to be arranged directly with QDOS if wanted/needed

[northernladuk]

So just started an outside IR35 after a few years in Switzerland. Someone has recomended Tax Assist - any views on them? I was in touch with Maslins on Friday and they seemed OK but seemed a very óut of the box`approach. Gorilla I can see by your recent posts that it s not what it used to be... any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Glad to be back

Don't touch Tax Assist. It's a franchise so down to the individual person who's bought that franchise. You'd wonder how good an accountant is to have to go down a franchise than open their own business.

The recommendations on the list are still correct. I'd add Paper Rocket as they seem very capable and more people joining them recently.

Contractor accounting is out of the box. It's very straight forward so almost sausage factory stuff.

[lilikins1]

So just started an outside IR35 after a few years in Switzerland. Someone has recomended Tax Assist - any views on them? I was in touch with Maslins on Friday and they seemed OK but seemed a very óut of the box`approach. Gorilla I can see by your recent posts that it s not what it used to be... any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Glad to be back

[philgo]

Thanks for the prompt to update this section of our website 7specialgems. We haven't offered IR35 contracts reviews for some time as we leave these to QDOS if required. It does seem odd that other accounting firms aren't happy to share their T&C's with you ahead of appointment, we are always happy to share these when requested. We are an ICAEW and AAT regulated practice and have plenty of positive client reviews on TrustIndex, Google Reviews etc if you wanted to check our credentials out further. Thanks!

Sarah@PaperRocket
So IR35 contract review is done by Qdos when required but is it part of the service as I do not believe this is mentioned in your packages ?

[Sarah@PaperRocket]

Familiar with CoSec, but read took "unlimited" to mean "unbounded" rather than being scoped to filing financially related documents solely.

Same with seeing "changes to" rather than "advising upon" the shareholder structure.

It might just be me being oversensitive because I had a very, very near miss with Boox. I am being ultra cautious not to go with a firm that advertises with language that is likely to get HMRC excited if they win their case.

As jamesbrown said on the previous page: its about how the "practice presents itself to the outside world, including HMRC".

I mean no disrespect.

It’s no problem, I completely understanding being careful, particularly when you’ve had a near miss before 😊

[7specialgems]

Familiar with CoSec, but read took "unlimited" to mean "unbounded" rather than being scoped to filing financially related documents solely.

Same with seeing "changes to" rather than "advising upon" the shareholder structure.

It might just be me being oversensitive because I had a very, very near miss with Boox. I am being ultra cautious not to go with a firm that advertises with language that is likely to get HMRC excited if they win their case.

As jamesbrown said on the previous page: its about how the "practice presents itself to the outside world, including HMRC".

I mean no disrespect.

[Sarah@PaperRocket]

That's good but there are still some other things that are listed on your products which worry me from a MSC perspective:

• Unlimited secretarial services
• Changes to the shareholder structure if required

I really don't think an accountant should be getting involved in those things.

If the Boox case goes HMRC's way then I reckon it will be open season for accountancies who market themselves as contractor specialists and offer co-sec services like this in addition to bean counting.

I have never known of an accounting practice that won’t provide advice on shares or assist with documents being filed with Companies House (known as company secretarial services), it’s pretty standard across the accounting industry and not something unusual or alarming

That’s ok if we are not your cup of tea though, everyone has something in particular they are looking for in their accountant and we can’t be a good fit for all 😊

[7specialgems]

That's good but there are still some other things that are listed on your products which worry me from a MSC perspective:

• Unlimited secretarial services
• Changes to the shareholder structure if required

I really don't think an accountant should be getting involved in those things.

If the Boox case goes HMRC's way then I reckon it will be open season for accountancies who market themselves as contractor specialists and offer co-sec services like this in addition to bean counting.

[Sarah@PaperRocket]

Absolutely got cold feet after that weird response.

After a second review of their website, I think maybe that e-mail was meant to be and it may have helped me dodge an MSC bullet.

Being a contractor specialist is no crime but Aardvark's website is full of promo about knowing all about IR35, coaching clients about IR35, selling IR35 insurance (which stood out like a sore thumb after reading https://www.contractoruk.com/news/00...ual_chain.html)

"The Contracing Awards Winner 2023". Yeah Hector's going to have them on his radar. Too rich for my blood.

Thanks for the tip with Paper Rocket, had a look at them. Miles better although did raise an eyebrow over the line item for unliited IR35 reviews as part of their product. Is it really appropriate that your bean counter helps you with your engagement paperwork?

Thanks for the prompt to update this section of our website 7specialgems. We haven't offered IR35 contracts reviews for some time as we leave these to QDOS if required. It does seem odd that other accounting firms aren't happy to share their T&C's with you ahead of appointment, we are always happy to share these when requested. We are an ICAEW and AAT regulated practice and have plenty of positive client reviews on TrustIndex, Google Reviews etc if you wanted to check our credentials out further. Thanks!

[northernladuk]

You will find a lot of CK and Boox clients arguing the same thing. I'm afraid there are too many contractor-specialist accountants with their heads buried in the sand over this and/or clueless about the risks as understood now versus 10 years ago. In the first instance, it doesn't really matter whether you leveraged a particular service or not, it's more about how that practice presents itself to the outside world, including HMRC.

Yup can't argue with that.

[jamesbrown]

It's not but you need to check what that actually means. If they review your contract then yeah, not good. If they are partnered with someone like QDOS et al and they give it then fair enough. I don't personally see it as a red flag, just a service I wouldn't take up. It's not enough to be an MSC worry for me either. Just part of an offering I don't need.

You will find a lot of CK and Boox clients arguing the same thing. I'm afraid there are too many contractor-specialist accountants with their heads buried in the sand over this and/or clueless about the risks as understood now versus 10 years ago. In the first instance, it doesn't really matter whether you leveraged a particular service or not, it's more about how that practice presents itself to the outside world, including HMRC.

[northernladuk]

Thanks for the tip with Paper Rocket, had a look at them. Miles better although did raise an eyebrow over the line item for unliited IR35 reviews as part of their product. Is it really appropriate that your bean counter helps you with your engagement paperwork?

It's not but you need to check what that actually means. If they review your contract then yeah, not good. If they are partnered with someone like QDOS et al and they give it then fair enough. I don't personally see it as a red flag, just a service I wouldn't take up. It's not enough to be an MSC worry for me either. Just part of an offering I don't need.

[jamesbrown]

Thanks for the tip with Paper Rocket, had a look at them. Miles better although did raise an eyebrow over the line item for unliited IR35 reviews as part of their product. Is it really appropriate that your bean counter helps you with your engagement paperwork?

Nope, massive red flag.

[7specialgems]

If you do get cold feet and want a smallish personal set up have a word with Paper Rocket.

Absolutely got cold feet after that weird response.

After a second review of their website, I think maybe that e-mail was meant to be and it may have helped me dodge an MSC bullet.

Being a contractor specialist is no crime but Aardvark's website is full of promo about knowing all about IR35, coaching clients about IR35, selling IR35 insurance (which stood out like a sore thumb after reading https://www.contractoruk.com/news/00...ual_chain.html)

"The Contracing Awards Winner 2023". Yeah Hector's going to have them on his radar. Too rich for my blood.

Thanks for the tip with Paper Rocket, had a look at them. Miles better although did raise an eyebrow over the line item for unliited IR35 reviews as part of their product. Is it really appropriate that your bean counter helps you with your engagement paperwork?