How painful is it to switch to a different accountant?

**Alan @ BroomeAffinity** · 5 October 2011, 13:38

There's nothing complicated about it. Get a new accountant and they will take care of the transfer. If you haven't had a year end yet - I assume you haven't as you have said "fed up already" - then the information your new accountant needs you will probably already have. They will still have to write to them as a professional courtesy.

**TimCaprica** · 5 October 2011, 13:44

Changing accountant

I agree. It really shouldn't be difficult at all. The normal procedure is for your new accountant to send a letter to the old one asking for information. In most cases you will have all the information that is needed anyway.

I've very recently started up as a sole-practitioner if you want to move away from somewhere that treats you like one of thousands.

**craig1** · 5 October 2011, 13:45

If you can afford to take the time then it should be fairly easy. Talk to the new accountant and get them to manage the handover, might cost you a fee from some accountants. Should be fairly seamless for you beyond writing letters of authority and being generally available to answer the new accountant's queries.

If you want to do it instantly then it can get very complex.

**JamJarST** · 5 October 2011, 13:55

What did they get wrong on your VAT?

**gemasp** · 5 October 2011, 13:56

Originally posted by Just1morethen View Post

...If you haven't had a year end yet - I assume you haven't as you have said "fed up already" - then the information your new accountant needs you will probably already have.

SJD already prepared one end of year accounts for me in 2010. my company year ends in December 2011. Does it make any difference for transfer?

Thx

**Martin at NixonWilliams** · 5 October 2011, 14:00

Hi Gemasp

Generally the process of transferring accountants is very straight forward, especially if your first year end has not passed. The biggest hold up in the process is the previous accountant if they are being un-cooperative.

We have taken over a few clients from SJD and in general they are very prompt in sending over the transfer documents so the process is relatively straightforward.

Your new accountant should handle most of the transfer and deal directly with SJD to obtain any information they hold, just make sure you give SJD your permission to release the documents they hold.

Martin

**simondolan** · 5 October 2011, 14:09

Hi,

Am really sorry to hear that. Can you let me know who you dealt with? We do try very hard to get everything right first time, but recognise that with the best will in the world we can on the odd occasion make a mistake. Be great to have the opportunity to address it and make sure it doesn't happen again. You can email me direct at simonatsjdaccountancy.com or else drop me a quick line here if you get a chance.

**gemasp** · 5 October 2011, 14:11

Originally posted by JamJarST View Post

What did they get wrong on your VAT?

Well, somehow they incorrectly calculated the flat rate VAT amount which I have to pay to HMRC.

Say I had two payments in the last quarter:
July 2011 - 0
August 2011 - 10k
September 2011 - 11k
Total: 21k
So VAT (14.5) should be 3045 GBP. Right?

They come up with total of 21.5k and VAT 3117.5 GBP.

The numbers are not exactly like that but very close. No idea where 21.5K comes from, because in spreadsheet which they have provided I clearly entered amount of income 21k.

**kaiser78** · 5 October 2011, 14:37

Originally posted by gemasp View Post

Hi all,

How painful is it to switch to a different accountant?

Fed up already with SJD accountancy making mistakes calculating my VAT returns. Seems like very obvious calculation but they have managed to make an error twice this year. And that the only thing I am checking after them at the moment. God knows what else they have missed.

Thanks

I changed accountant very easily earlier this year - spoke to a few first and then decided who to go with. They then just sent a letter to the old accountant who is obliged to helpfully respond and the new one manages the transfer process.

Do the change though during low activity of your company financial year, not for example mid way through preparing end of year accounts etc !

How painful is it to switch to a different accountant?