Any complications when switching accountant after year end?

[houmie]

Hi,

I am on my first year as a contractor and my company year has just ended.

My current accountant has already finished the year end, but takes his time to submit it to HMRC. I am thinking to leave my accountant in a couple of weeks time and I really don't want to stay another month and avoid the May payment.

If I did switch now, could the accountant simply freeze all services right away incl. submitting year end and personal tax return? Or is he legally bound to finish these anyway?


Many Thanks,

[TheFaQQer]

If you've paid for the service, then they should complete it - the only way that you are likely to find out, though, is to ask the accountant.

Some accountants will do the end of year for you as part of the new service for free, so even if the old one does nothing, you haven't really lost out there.

The only question is why you want to change accountants - if it's just because the current one takes their time over doing the end of year return, then you need to check with the new one that they will be any quicker. In my experience, they won't be, but I changed accountants this year for other reasons than the speed of doing the end of year accounts.

[houmie]

If you've paid for the service, then they should complete it - the only way that you are likely to find out, though, is to ask the accountant.

Some accountants will do the end of year for you as part of the new service for free, so even if the old one does nothing, you haven't really lost out there.

The only question is why you want to change accountants - if it's just because the current one takes their time over doing the end of year return, then you need to check with the new one that they will be any quicker. In my experience, they won't be, but I changed accountants this year for other reasons than the speed of doing the end of year accounts.

Hi,

Thanks for your reply. Oh no its not because of that. I am leaving the contracting market. I have saved up in the meanwhile a bit of investment money and going to create my own startup.

I don't really know when I would be able to bring in any new money any time soon, hence I have to start bootstrapping right away. One way to do that is reducing the accountancy costs. As of now the £126 per month is quite a bit for a flat-to-be account. Hence I would like to switch to somewhere (possibly Crunch) that is far cheaper.

As you have already suggested; usually accountancies are happy to offer free services to newcomers to get them on board. According to Crunch policy though it is unlikely that they offer any free services.

P.S. This shouldn't become a Switching-to-Crunch thread, as I have opened a new thread for that one. This thread is meant to focus on the legal side and what the responsibilities of the accountants are regarding company year end service upon termination of a contract.

Many thanks

[Old Greg]

Hi,

Thanks for your reply. Oh no its not because of that. I am leaving the contracting market. I have saved up in the meanwhile a bit of investment money and going to create my own startup.

I don't really know when I would be able to bring in any new money any time soon, hence I have to start bootstrapping right away. One way to do that is reducing the accountancy costs. As of now the £126 per month is quite a bit for a flat-to-be account. Hence I would like to switch to somewhere (possibly Crunch) that is far cheaper.

As you have already suggested; usually accountancies are happy to offer free services to newcomers to get them on board. According to Crunch policy though it is unlikely that they offer any free services.

P.S. This shouldn't become a Switching-to-Crunch thread, as I have opened a new thread for that one. This thread is meant to focus on the legal side and what the responsibilities of the accountants are regarding company year end service upon termination of a contract.

Many thanks

Not your question but...

Maybe your current accountant will offer a significant reduction if you explain it to them.

[houmie]

Not your question but...

Maybe your current accountant will offer a significant reduction if you explain it to them.

yeah true, its worth a shot for sure.