Any tips on choosing an accountant?

PS, It would also be nice if he is honest enough to advise me to get the heck out of the business I'm in if he thinks it can't succeed.

Jak Z

Same way you choose anyone else really. Ask around everyone you know in your area (which can be drawn quite widely unless you think you're going to need to visit your accountant in person every week) and see if they recommend one. If other people have had good experiences with their accountant, chances are you will too.

It's well worth taking the time to make the right choice. I've had a bad accountant and a good accountant, and it makes a big difference.

Adam

Thank you for the advice... It's difficult because I just don't think I know anyone who uses accountants and so I will be getting recommendations from complete strangers. I've been dealing with one or two local shop-keepers for a few years, but not well enough to know if their recommendations would be worth anything.

Jack Z

my accountants: hill allen at wickford, Essex

I have used them for twenty plus years, very reliable, not expensive, I rarely pay any tax, nuff said. except to tell them I sent you

mrcheerful (W201)

Having been lumbered with some complete duffers as suggested ask self employed people for recommendations. The last time I was looking I asked the husbond of a friend of my wife as he ran a business and he said that he would not recommend his accountant, oh dear. The other thing that I have found myself stitched up on is finding a good accountant who some time later goes into a larger firm. You then find your costs sky rocketing and the accounts delt with a junior who desn't know what they are doing. That has happened to me twice now.

Kevin

Try talking to someone from Businesslink

I can vouch for mrcheerful and if you are in Essex go with his advice. If you are in the West London area:

Christopher Harden Ltd Chartered Accountnants

020 8893 3399

On Thu, 23 Nov 2006 23:02:21 GMT, "mrcheerful ." wrote:

Thankyou for the reccomendation. I'm in the wrong part of the country, though.

Anyway, I got lucky today! I managed to track down a lady accountant who I hired once before, about 15 years ago, when she was fairly new to the profession. Amazingly, she's still local and still working for herself (hasn't joined a company). We had a long chat on the phone which started of with friendly chit-chat and eventually got down to the nitty-gritty. We must have talked for at least an hour. I described my situation to her which is fairly complicated, yet she followed and understood every bit of it. She explained a good deal of stuff to me which I didn't know, and we established that I don't make enough profit to pay tax yet. I was really impressed by the fluidity of the communication and how astute, attentive, understanding and sympathetic she was. I liked her 15 years ago; I like her even better now. I communicate really well with her in a relaxed and open and trusting way, and that has to be a valuable thing. She is extremely understanding, and clearly knows the ropes well (so she should too, with 17+ years of accounting for small ventures such as mine behind her). While I was discussing my affairs with her, she seemed interested and there was never a hint of boredom or impatience. So it looks like an ideal setup. A dream come true, even. There was no mention of fees. So perhaps that valuable and enlightening hour on the phone was even free of charge. She says I can call her *any time* if I get any problems or questions! Of course, I don't expect her to be forever free of charge, and there will no doubt come a day when I have to agree a price with about working on my behalf. Who knows, I could even get a bill from her for the hour-long chat. And, who knows, it might be a big bill; I have no idea. Perhaps I should have asked her right at the beginning of the chat how much her hourly rate is and whether she's going to bill me for this phone call.

Anyway, it *really* made my day. Thanks to all who replied with suggestions; they helped to lead me to this key contact.

Any comments welcome.

Jak Z

Superb result. You do have to be realistic about what such people have to earn. £150ph equating to maybe £500 is bottom drawer.

Thank you..

Hi Troy, Do you mean £500+ for doing someone's accounts? If so, then, that sounds like money well spent. At first, that figure of £150+ ph startled me. But, on reflection, yes, her value in terms of expertise should logically have multiplied over the past 15 years...

I guess I'd be wise to ask her how much she charges for telephone advice, before I spend much more time on the phone with her, right?

Jak Z

I pay 700 a year. I do most of it and he just looks at various stuff. moves bits around and gives genereal advice. Call him about once a month and it probably takes him about 3 or 4 hours to check my books and change things. Pretty pricey i think but seems to be the going rate. If you've not reached a rate where you are paying tax i wouldn't even consider an account unless your turnover is large in relation to proffit. I'd possibly consider if i was you joining the fsb.The federation of small business is a not for proffit organisation which has saved me about 300 this year and helps with questions like you are asking

How come it is a non-profit org? Who finances it - the government?

Thanks,

Jak Z