Frequently Asked Questions
These are a few of the more common questions we get asked by prospective clients considering using our services…
Q: Is your firm registered with any regulatory bodies?
A: Yes, our firm and principals are Chartered Accountants, registered with the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAEW). In fact, our client facing staff are Fellows of the ICAEW.
Q: How many people will we deal with when you’re providing services?
A: We’re not a huge team, so you will likely only deal with one or two people throughout the services you require from us. We prefer to get to know our clients closely and so when you call us we know who you are and usually what you’re facing at the moment. We like to work hand-in-hand with our clients.
Q: What software do you use?
A: We have experience in using many of the well known software packages available. Specifically though, we recommend to clients both QuickBooks Online and Xero for bookkeeping – we are registered advisers of both and can work with you to find the best fit for your needs.
For preparation of statutory accounting and tax we use one of the leading accountancy packages available to firms of accountants, Iris.
Q: Can you offer everything I need?
A: Almost certainly. If you’re a small or medium sized business, usually owner-managed, then we’ve got you covered. If ever you need more, or for any reason, we cannot provide what you need, we’ll be honest with you. We only take on clients we know we can help.
Q: How easy is it to change accountants and why should I change?
A: If your existing accountant is offering you an excellent pro-active service at a fair fee then stick with them. However, different accountants will save you different amounts of tax and provide different levels of business advice. If your present accountant doesn’t offer the type of service you want and that we do offer, then changing over to us is very easy. It involves just one letter from you and we take care of everything else for you. Your existing accountant is not usually allowed to charge you for providing the normal handover information.
Q: You seem to offer a lot. Are your fees expensive?
A: No! We offer fixed fees linked to the value of what we provide. We’re not always the cheapest and as with many things in life you get what you pay for. However, we are not expensive and we offer excellent value for what we provide. Most importantly we never undertake work without agreeing the fee arrangements in advance so you always know where you stand.
Q: I’ve just had my accounts done and don’t need an accountant until next year, so is there any need to contact you now?
A: We can’t over emphasise the importance of tax planning at an early stage, not crisis driven advice. Ideally you do tax planning before the year even starts but after that, the earlier the better. The same is applicable to all areas of advice and we are about helping you change the future, not just reporting what has already happened.
Q: Will you come to visit us for an initial consultation?
A: Yes. It often helps to see your business, books and records, etc at first hand and we are always happy to invest our time without charge to show you what we can do.
Q: When and how soon can you come to see us?
A: When’s good for you? Let us know and we’ll do our utmost to help. If you need to see somebody urgently, we’re always out and about and can arrange to see you very quickly.
Q: Is your fixed quote guaranteed for more than one year?
A: We’re not in the business of providing low quotes just to get your business for the first year and then raising the fees. We want you as a long term client who trusts us to do what we say we will do. We quote what we anticipate to be a fair fee for the value provided and would only anticipate normal inflationary increases if the work stays the same. Very occasionally there may be reasons why the amount of work involved exceeded what was expected but we would sit down and discuss these with you. In some cases, where it is clear exactly what work is involved we can guarantee the fee for more than one year.
Q: You seem to be offering so much that I’m just not used to from my present accountant. How do I know you will deliver?
A: The vast majoriy of our clients come to us after recommendations from existing clients – they are used to this level of service from us. You are also more than welcome to speak with some of our existing clients who have the experience of our service – see what they have to say.
Q: Do you offer audit services?
A: No, almost all of our clients do not require an audit. Those that do, use other firms to have their accounts audited as required. We work closely with other firms and would argue that having another firm performing an audit is arguably more independent and objective than everything being done under one roof.
Get in Touch
Please contact us if you need further advice, have any questions about our services, or would like a free consultation or a fixed quote.