Accountant ripped me off, has anyone experience of ICAEW?

[Francis1989]

About 100%.

Thanks- I repeat, the contract and terms and conditions set me clear fees for work. All good and as it should be.
But the invoices were very vague, just 'for work done up to xx date'.
I did complain, I asked for itemised invoices - they ignored my request.
I asked them to stop invoicing me for unauthorized knowledge/advice.
The contract states that all fees would be discussed upfront.
The fees for unwanted advice were not discussed upfront.

[Francis1989]

was it £1600 for all costs over the last 18 months?
Or £1600 in excess of what you expected?
And if the latter what did you expect to pay for 18 months of accountancy services?


10.

1600 over and above the standard fees. So for example for 1 invoice instead of £250, as I expected for that 1 piece of work - it became £650 for the unexpected emails I was sent.

[eek]

Thanks- I repeat, the contract and terms and conditions set me clear fees for work. All good and as it should be.
But the invoices were very vague, just 'for work done up to xx date'.
I did complain, I asked for itemised invoices - they ignored my request.
I asked them to stop invoicing me for unauthorized knowledge/advice.
The contract states that all fees would be discussed upfront.
The fees for unwanted advice were not discussed upfront.

But you still paid each bill?

[Francis1989]

But you still paid each bill?

Yes, this is where you are stuffed, if you don't pay your bill and they say the bills are correct, they can take legal action.
I was told several times by friends to tell them to get stuffed etc, and not pay the bill, but I contacted a solicitor and they said I have to pay and then claim the money back from a small claims court.

[Paralytic]

Yes, this is where you are stuffed, if you don't pay your bill and they say the bills are correct, they can take legal action.
I was told several times by friends to tell them to get stuffed etc, and not pay the bill, but I contacted a solicitor and they said I have to pay and then claim the money back from a small claims court.

And what happened when you took them to the small claims court?

Do you have this other solicitors advice in writing? Did you pay for that advice? Was their bill correct?

Your issue is you paid the bills, even though you had every right not to if, as you say, the invoices did not fit with agreed criteria of clear and specific line items.