Reply to: How painful is it to switch to a different accountant?

[Jeremiah@RHJAccountants]

Another question to add to this thread

When is the best time to change accountant?

Year End?
Mid - Year?

Or does it not matter?

Am considering changing, as I am using a local accountant who knows little of IT contracting and is charging over £150 a month. Nice guy, but expensive and I am not getting £150 of value out of them.

It should not matter when you change as your new accountant will send a professional clearance letter to you previous accountant requesting the information they need.

It also helps if your records are kept up to date by you as well.

[Danielsjdaccountancy]

Another question to add to this thread

When is the best time to change accountant?

Year End?
Mid - Year?

Or does it not matter?

Am considering changing, as I am using a local accountant who knows little of IT contracting and is charging over £150 a month. Nice guy, but expensive and I am not getting £150 of value out of them.

Fee wise I would say at year-end is best as you have already contributed monthly towards the final set.
Work wise though at any point is easy for handover. That's from an accountant’s point of view.

[portseven]

Another question to add to this thread

When is the best time to change accountant?

Year End?
Mid - Year?

Or does it not matter?

Am considering changing, as I am using a local accountant who knows little of IT contracting and is charging over £150 a month. Nice guy, but expensive and I am not getting £150 of value out of them.

[psychocandy]

I was with my old accountant for 2 months and they made about 2 mistakes a week in that time. In fact, I'd say they probably did more wrong than right.

A friend of mine was with them too and they were the same with him - hes since left also. Naming no names but they're on the PCGs approved list and they're local to me.

Moved to NW and they've been great. Old accountant totally ignored me since I left - didnt even phone me to ask me why. All I got was an email from his assistant confirming receipt of my letter.

And they seem to be ignoring NW for now as well.

[Barrow boy]

Not always greener...

Hi
The numerous errors that were found were corrected free of charge and there monthly fee of £60 +vat is great.

Excellent price and great service

Interesting considering the staff at your new place is likely to be the same as your old....so he found his own errors!?

[Clare@InTouch]

Hi,

Here's some of my recent experiences. I've been with Paystream for about 8 years and have decided that I'm paying over the odds. I informed them of my intention to leave. They have kindly offered to pass on up to date records for £200+VAT. I can't see why I should pay this, I've already paid accountacy fees from April to now, the accounts should be up to date, that's what I've paid for. If they will not pass on up to date records then they have not provided the service that I paid for and should therefore make a refund.

I approached Nixon Williams, very keen to take my business they quoted me £630, or 7 months at £75+VAT. In other words, full rate backdated 7 months. What a bargain!

The moral of the story is this;

1. Don't switch until the end of the financial year.
2. Make sure your shirt is tucked in or they'll have that too!

It's rare for accountants to charge a leaving fee, so you're unlucky there. That being said, your new accountant should be able to get all the information they need from Companies House and HMRC, it will just take more time to get.

The same goes for backdated charges, some accountants charge and some don't.

The advice is to shop around

[kaito]

Hi,

Here's some of my recent experiences. I've been with Paystream for about 8 years and have decided that I'm paying over the odds. I informed them of my intention to leave. They have kindly offered to pass on up to date records for £200+VAT. I can't see why I should pay this, I've already paid accountacy fees from April to now, the accounts should be up to date, that's what I've paid for. If they will not pass on up to date records then they have not provided the service that I paid for and should therefore make a refund.

I approached Nixon Williams, very keen to take my business they quoted me £630, or 7 months at £75+VAT. In other words, full rate backdated 7 months. What a bargain!

The moral of the story is this;

1. Don't switch until the end of the financial year.
2. Make sure your shirt is tucked in or they'll have that too!

[Jeremiah@RHJAccountants]

Hi guys,

Just wanted report on progress of resolving my issues with SJD Accountancy. Got in touch with Simon Dolan, who is hiding behind simonsjdaccountancy name on this forum and he appologised for the problems I have and kindly agreed to assign me to a different accountant.

Will see how it goes.

Well if the new accountant is not up to scatch! why not try Smith Craven Chartered Accountants. Hope it goes well for you

[gemasp]

Hi guys,

Just wanted report on progress of resolving my issues with SJD Accountancy. Got in touch with Simon Dolan, who is hiding behind simonsjdaccountancy name on this forum and he appologised for the problems I have and kindly agreed to assign me to a different accountant.

Will see how it goes.

[Martin at NixonWilliams]

Bear in mind your next accountant may not be any better. I have had similar problems with nixonwilliams and now have to check everything they do which kind of defeats the point. The grass is not always greener...

Hi MintyBloke

I'm sorry to hear you have experienced a few problems with us. Is there anything you would like me to look into for you to see how things have happened?

If there is please do get in touch, either via PM or email (martin at nixonwilliams.com).

Thanks
Martin

[SueEllen]

Bear in mind your next accountant may not be any better. I have had similar problems with nixonwilliams and now have to check everything they do which kind of defeats the point. The grass is not always greener...

You are suppose to check what your accountant does.

I've met people who run other businesses who have been ripped off simply because they never checked what their accountant did until a friend of theirs mentioned it.

[MintyBloke]

Bear in mind your next accountant may not be any better. I have had similar problems with nixonwilliams and now have to check everything they do which kind of defeats the point. The grass is not always greener...

[northernladuk]

Oh and I always go for a local based accountant with IT contractors on their books than the national ones you read about on here.

SJD is one of the 'national' ones you read about on here but they have local offices so my accountant is local to me. Not that I have ever needed to meet him in 2+ years. Email and phones have done away with all that.

[gemasp]

Ok right sorry, I see your point. So the problem is the additional £500 then, did you have any interest income?

not really. Their explanation was:

The reason for the difference is that the spreadsheet is formulated to calculate VAT at 17.5% not 20% which means your net figures are incorrect.

I have amended the spreadsheet and amended the vat figures as both your estimation and our figures were incorrect once the changes had been made

Please ensure you use this spreadsheet going forward.

Which doesn't explain how they calculated VAT numbers correctly for two previous quarters.

[JamJarST]

I didn't say that 21k is net amount. It does includes 20% of VAT already.

Ok right sorry, I see your point. So the problem is the additional £500 then, did you have any interest income?