cheaperaccountant

[BolshieBastard]

Anyone using these and if so are they providing a good service?

[philip@wellwoodhoyle]

Website makes it look quite an amateur organisation that smacks of desperation to scrape a few clients together.

The only address given is a virtual/accommodation address in Manchester so you don't really know who/where the real business only is located.

The firm itself isn't regulated by a UK body - all it says is that there staff are qualified and regulated - a VERY different situation as neither the owner nor the "staff" look to have practising certificates from a chartered body.

Website tells lies - when it mentions "no vat added on top of our fees" it clearly says "you won't find this anywhere else". That's clearly a lie as there are many accountancy practices who aren't VAT registered. Probably a trading standards matter!

If anyone was thinking of using them, first thing would be to find out which UK chartered accountancy body regulates them, whether the owner has a practising certificate and check that they have adequate PI insurance cover.

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

...or you could even try WePayYouAccountant

Great idea Sally - fancy going into partnership?

[jsnetman]

In agreement

Probably agree with all your comments about this outfit, but I'm not on a fantastic rate and need to keep costs low. I had intended on doing my own accounts and submissions but if someone can do them for me at 25 quid a month I'm going to give them a chance.

I have been warned.

which UK chartered accountancy body regulates them, whether the owner has a practising certificate

and have asked the question.

[Alan @ BroomeAffinity]

there is also cheapaccounting.co.uk who, despite their rather shabby looking website and unceasing twitter activity are apparently pretty good.

I still think it's a massive marketing fail using the word "cheap" in this kind of market. Cheap hotels make you by your dinner from a vending machine. Cheap airlines herd you like cattle. Etc.

Be interesting to see how they can maintain or provide customer service if they are coming up against cost pressure constantly.

[jsnetman]

The company itself is not under a regulating body but all the accounts have practising certs, the head acciountant told me. Anyway I have signed up because I'm a cheapscate, £27.99 for accounts PAYE and VAT and £200 for last years accounts. The regulated body Upton was under never stopped him!

[malvolio]

The company itself is not under a regulating body but all the accounts have practising certs, the head acciountant told me. Anyway I have signed up because I'm a cheapscate, £27.99 for accounts PAYE and VAT and £200 for last years accounts. The regulated body Upton was under never stopped him!

£280 vs £1200. Sounds like a saving. However, if you're on £200 a day for a one year gig, that's £48k. So it's actually 1.9% saving on costs, 1.5% if you allow the CT saving. Whoo hoo... And as I always say, good accountants are free. Still, if you're sure they ain't going to screw up and if they do you can get your money back....

There is, however, a big difference between price and cost.

[d000hg]

On a serious note, do you want to trust something as important as your company finances to someone who's USP is they are cheaper than someone else?

Ask yourself would you use CheaperNuclearReactor, or CheaperBrainSurgeon or Suity?

Yes but 1-man accountants are hardly difficult if you just want a bog-standard service.

And people have to choose medical procedures based on cost all the time... finding your medical cover doesn't cover certain drugs or scans or operations is common.

[RichardLewisUK]

The website looks a bit shoddy if I'm honest! Not saying that they won't be good but with a price like that, it does make you wonder!

[jsnetman]

My reasoning which may not be a good one is that I intended to do my own accounts and submissions, VAT Flat Rate does not seem difficult to administrate but PAYE and year end accounts submissions are sending me round the bend. If a cheap accountant can do what I can't then I'm happy to pay 27.99 a month fo that service alone.