Accountant taking the mick?

geeky

I've just had a conversation with my employer. She's foreign, and managing a start-up company.

Basically, I think her accountant is taking the mick. Doing a 'start your own business' course, she learned that employers needed to have a health and safety statement. She wrote to her accountant to verify this is the case. He wrote back one word - 'yes'.

For this email, and for supplying contact details for 2 people - a person to write a safety statement*, and a lawyer - he's issued an invoice for €1,200. Now, I'm no expert on accountancy, but this seems off the scale. Can anyone familiar with the field advise me on two things: Is the accountant having a laugh? and does this violate any codes of practice?

* this chap is seriously dodgy himself, which is how our conversation took place.

cojomo2

if that fee includes filing the companies annual return then that fee is about rite.

geeky

I'm 90% sure it doesn't!

dbran

What did the invoice say?????

smcgiff

Did you not ask for a quote up front?!? :eek:

MarysCross

At the very best this is a clerical error! At worst.....

Why do Irish small and medium sized business' all turn to their accountants for such matters, we have experience but we're not experts anyway. There is this thing called the Internet! In a word 'Research' or your local chamber of commerce.

geeky

Just checked with my boss. The invoice literally says 'management services' and €1,200.

Jaysus, why do so-called professionals rip the absolute p1ss with small businesspeople like this? This crowd are a foreign outfit, directly investing in the country to create employment. Then some huckster tries to leech as much as he can out of them. It's carry-on like this that makes me think many professionals that are seriously struggling are getting exactly what they deserve.

geeky

smcgiff wrote: »

Did you not ask for a quote up front?!? :eek:

I didn't, I'm asking because my boss (not Irish) just told me this today. My blood was boiling but I thought I'd ask to see if this is the norm. Evidently, it's not.

Shannonsider

Ask for a breakdown of the charge, then refuse to pay or compare to some other accountant. And this will be a very valuable lesson for your boss in future :cool:

smcgiff

geeky wrote: »

I didn't, I'm asking because my boss (not Irish) just told me this today. My blood was boiling but I thought I'd ask to see if this is the norm. Evidently, it's not.

Firstly - A valuable lesson is learned.

Secondly - I don't know how long it took for the accountant to prepare the H&S statement. Although it does seem very high, but possibly so because of the time put into it.

Thirdly - If the accountant insists it's a correct fee ask for mediation from his professional body. That should clear this up very quickly.

mickbyrne

Unless the accountant is billing in advance for 'management services' for the next 12 months I think you should go and find a decent accountant. Like every walk of life there are good and bad, it would appear you found the bad. Go and look for the good.

Regards,
Michael.
www.perspective.ie