Accountant not sumitted tax return last year or invoiced me for last 5 years

[crazybones]

hi

Our accountant left his company in December and we agreed to move with him. Since then he has gone awol. We have just found out he did not submit personal tax return for April 2014.

he also has not billed us for 5 years.

the company he left has now invoiced me for my two businesses for over £30,000

As a company we have been with the accountant at the original company for over 15 years but do not seem to have had a letter of engagement or any terms and conditions so are very unsure how to proceed.

We can not pay the bills and feel very unhappy with the whole thing.

any advice?

[jmo21]

Ask why they did not bill you for 5 years?

[Dallas]

Get your side in order from a legal/documentation perspective for this accountant.

Then smack yourself for neglecting this.

Then call HRMC and get their view.

Then get a good accountant who does need to be paid to clear this up.

[northernladuk]

Ask why they did not bill you for 5 years?

This... Did you not ask them about it or just kept schtum in the hope of getting away with it?

[BrilloPad]

Was he called Darren?

Is there any money in the company? If not, don't put any more in them. Close them asap.

[tractor]

.....

hi

Our accountant left his company in December and we agreed to move with him. Since then he has gone awol. We have just found out he did not submit personal tax return for April 2014.

he also has not billed us for 5 years.

the company he left has now invoiced me for my two businesses for over £30,000

As a company we have been with the accountant at the original company for over 15 years but do not seem to have had a letter of engagement or any terms and conditions so are very unsure how to proceed.

We can not pay the bills and feel very unhappy with the whole thing.

any advice?

Incredible.

You, not them.

Do you not understand the obligations of a Director? As you asked for advice, I would suggest you find out what your obligations are, then work out what else you have missed, take stock and try and sort it out from there.

Oh and get an accountant (a live one this time).

[SimonMac]

What does your accountant say?

[Jessica@WhiteFieldTax]

Get your side in order from a legal/documentation perspective for this accountant.

Then smack yourself for neglecting this.

Then call HRMC and get their view.

Then get a good accountant who does need to be paid to clear this up.

HMRC will not have a "view" - just a note of a missing tax return.

[Jessica@WhiteFieldTax]

Advice to OP:

(a) engage a new accountant, clean start. Get missing tax return in ASAP

(b) if old accountant(s) are regulated, formulate a complaint to professional body. You will need to exhaust any internal complaints process first if you are in contact with them.

(c) for the arrears of fees, engagement letter, etc, I would be inclined to find a good commercial lawyer to advise on contract issues.

[Alan @ BroomeAffinity]

(b) if old accountant(s) are regulated, formulate a complaint to professional body. You will need to exhaust any internal complaints process first if you are in contact with them.

Are there grounds for a complaint? Other than not bill the OP, the original accountant hasn't done much wrong.