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Accountant recommendation please (London)

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    Accountant recommendation please (London)

    Hi,
    I am new to contracting and I am just about to start my own ltd company. I have long term contracting plans and hence this decision. Could someone recommend a good accountant in London please?

    Cheers,
    Tulipz

    #2
    Originally posted by tulipz View Post
    Hi,
    I am new to contracting and I am just about to start my own ltd company. I have long term contracting plans and hence this decision. Could someone recommend a good accountant in London please?

    Cheers,
    Tulipz
    I am with NW and they are excellent for newbies. I would recommend them anytime. Having said that, there are many contractors who can say samething about their accounting firms.
    So it would be your personal choice. I recommend, you call few of the firms like NW, SJD and see how you feel, and then make a choice. Accountants are for life and not just Christmas, so make a wise decision.
    Good luck with contracts.

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by rd409 View Post
      Accountants are for life and not just Christmas,
      I disagree. Having done so twice, I find it's easy enough to change accountants if need be.

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by Grasser73 View Post
        I disagree. Having done so twice, I find it's easy enough to change accountants if need be.
        I've changed accountants myself in a very short span of my contracting life. But that doesn't mean every body should do it. One thing I realised is it's best getting it right first time.

        My experience of changing Accountants was not pleasant as I did it in quite hurry. I didn't think about VAT returns deadlines, or any other deadlines, and realised when it was nearly too late. Smart people are the ones who learn from someone else's mistakes.

        Comment


          #5
          An an IT Contractor I don't think it matters where your accountant is based. The online freelance/contractor specialists provide an excellent service over the Internet at a very competitive price. I am with Intouch Accounting who I believe are on the south coast (but I have no need to visit). I highly recommend them.

          Make sure whoever you go with has a website for recording your accounting information and the ability to upload bank transactions via CSV as this saves a lot of time.

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by yorkshireman View Post
            An an IT Contractor I don't think it matters where your accountant is based. The online freelance/contractor specialists provide an excellent service over the Internet at a very competitive price. I am with Intouch Accounting who I believe are on the south coast (but I have no need to visit). I highly recommend them.

            Make sure whoever you go with has a website for recording your accounting information and the ability to upload bank transactions via CSV as this saves a lot of time.
            another happy customer from Nixon Williams!
            Cloud Computing - Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by Grasser73 View Post
              I disagree. Having done so twice, I find it's easy enough to change accountants if need be.
              What sort of accounts hand over is there? Just like capital assets? I know PAYE and VAT handover is pretty simple, we've switched ltd co accountants a few times.
              cheers. richy

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by richy View Post
                What sort of accounts hand over is there? Just like capital assets? I know PAYE and VAT handover is pretty simple, we've switched ltd co accountants a few times.
                cheers. richy
                On both occasions, the whole handover was transparent to me once I'd initiated it so I really don't know any more details.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by richy View Post
                  What sort of accounts hand over is there? Just like capital assets? I know PAYE and VAT handover is pretty simple, we've switched ltd co accountants a few times.
                  cheers. richy
                  Your new accountant will contact the old account to ask for professional clearance, and to ensure there's nothing they need to be aware of (money laundering and the like). They will request copies of your previous accounts, tax returns and balances so that they have the correct information to use going forward - things like VAT, assets, bank reconciliation, directors' loan balances, creditors, debtors etc.

                  The whole process should be quite simple, and regulated firms have to abide by professional standards so you shouldn't have a problem.

                  The timing may have an impact depending on where you move to. Some firms will charge for catch up work, the equivalent of their monthly fee for the months since your last year end, and some won't. Best bet is to give a few a call to compare the service (tax returns included, IR35 reviews etc) and the level of any catch up fee (if any).

                  Sometimes a previous advisor will ignore requests for handover if they are not regulated by a professional body, but often this doesn't cause a huge problem as information can be gathered from HMRC and Companies House along with your previous accounting records.
                  ContractorUK Best Forum Adviser 2013

                  Comment


                    #10
                    You could always try Clare ...

                    Originally posted by tulipz View Post
                    Hi,
                    I am new to contracting and I am just about to start my own ltd company. I have long term contracting plans and hence this decision. Could someone recommend a good accountant in London please?

                    Cheers,
                    Tulipz
                    ... I followed her to InTouch recently from a previous company without any disruption. Good luck.

                    Comment

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