Accountant gone to ground - HELP!!!!!

twelvetoten

Hi having major issues with my accountant in that he has left me high and dry and won't return my calls. I have sent 100s of texts, left loads of voicemails and several emails. Sent a registered letter but it was returned without him signing for it. This is going on since late last year when he promised he was in control of everything and was getting everything sorted for me, since then contact with him has been rare despite the fact that in past few months I've resorted to begging and pleading! I'm told by another accountant that this happens - guys on their own taking on too many clients and then they just bury their head in the sand. I'm told that I'm not the only customer of his that he is doing this to and I'd hate to think anyone else would fall into his trap; he comes across as all sweetness and light when you first meet him. I want to know: What sanctions can be placed on this guy to stop him doing business? Also I presume revenue won't care that I can't contact him - it will all still be my responsibility so my fault so I will be penalised? Frightened to ask them directly!

SBWife

Have you contacted the accountancy body of which he is a member?

twelvetoten

Yes I have, thanks. I'm asking this question of anyone who has either experience in dealing with this type of situation themselves personally or who is an accountant and would be so helpful as to answer my originally posted questions.

Mongarra

I have a small practice in Wexford and a new client approached me with the same problem.

When I contacted the tax office to obtain details of the previous return of income submitted I explained the situation to the Inspector. He was quite amenable and agreed to give the taxpayer more time to submit the outstanding return and after a bit of cajoling agreed to waive the surcharge for late submission.

The biggest problem was retrieving the books from the previous accountant so that the outstanding accounts could be prepared. The client made some arrangement to meet but when he went to the office it was locked and the accountant had done a runner. An uncle of the accountant agreed to open the offices and the books were retrieved. (It is easier sometimes when living in the country to contact someone else who might be in a position to help.)

I do not know if this scenario can be replicated in your case but I think it would be best for you to at least get the books back so that when you go to the new accountant you will have the information ready for him to start on the accounts. The busiest time of the year is from now to mid-November so it would be best to get going immediately.

ascuteasabutton

Ok firstly is there a reason he might be ignoring you..failure by you to pay etc? Many accountants won't deal with clients anymore that are not up to date payment wise.
Secondly, have you tried calling in person to the office?
Thirdly, what is the urgency in getting hold of him, are there outstanding vat/paye returns or are you just trying to get your Income Tax return sorted for 2010? alot of accountants have staff on hols/study leave etc at this time of the year and if it is only your tax return you are waiting on then this is not due until November therefore not making it urgent.

Kinetic^

Go to his office, get your books and records and go to another accountant.

twelvetoten

Thanks Mongarra for very relevant example and your advice. Kinetic, thanks but easier said than done; ascuteasabutton - thanks for your suggestions but i wouldn't have posted this query if there was any reason why I was the cause for this lack of contact from him, also I wouldn't have posted this if my query wasn't urgent. Other than that I don't want to go into any more detail on the specifics, but thanks anyway.
I just really just want to hear from people who can answer my questions as posted, thanks again Mongarra for answering one of them; the last one to get an answer on is:
What sanctions can be placed on this guy to stop him treating people in this fashion? I know the Financial Regulator wouldn't be interested but is there a sanction that can be/would be placed by the relevant accountancy body (prefer not to say which it is). Of course since I've started having difficulties with him I've heard of a few other people that he has really let down; I would hate to think that he can continue to act like this, that more people will continue to get sucked in and then be left in the lurch.
I'm expecting that only other accountants or people who have actually been in a similar situation can answer this question. BTW I don't need another accountant right now - I have something arranged - but thanks for PMs.

Mongarra

As far as I know the only sanction available is for his accountancy body to investigate a complaint and to take appropriate action after hearing both sides. I don't think there is anything you can do off your own bat except to make that complaint. It might speed things up if you can get those other clients of his to either join you or to make their own complaints.

By the way, while understandable from your position, not being used to dealing with them, being afraid to contact Revenue is not a good idea. Like mortgage arrears, the sooner you contact them, or arrange for your new accountant to do so, to explain the position, the less likelihood of problems later on.

pepp

twelvetoten wrote: »

Thanks Mongarra for very relevant example and your advice. Kinetic, thanks but easier said than done; ascuteasabutton - thanks for your suggestions but i wouldn't have posted this query if there was any reason why I was the cause for this lack of contact from him, also I wouldn't have posted this if my query wasn't urgent. Other than that I don't want to go into any more detail on the specifics, but thanks anyway.
I just really just want to hear from people who can answer my questions as posted, thanks again Mongarra for answering one of them; the last one to get an answer on is:
What sanctions can be placed on this guy to stop him treating people in this fashion? I know the Financial Regulator wouldn't be interested but is there a sanction that can be/would be placed by the relevant accountancy body (prefer not to say which it is). Of course since I've started having difficulties with him I've heard of a few other people that he has really let down; I would hate to think that he can continue to act like this, that more people will continue to get sucked in and then be left in the lurch.
I'm expecting that only other accountants or people who have actually been in a similar situation can answer this question. BTW I don't need another accountant right now - I have something arranged - but thanks for PMs.

I think your attitude may be the reason why your account dosen't want to answer your calls I've had clients like this who think they are above everyone else and can shout and call the odds try being a bit more polite with your new guys might avoid more problems

barneystinson

pepp wrote: »

I think your attitude may be the reason why your account dosen't want to answer your calls I've had clients like this who think they are above everyone else and can shout and call the odds try being a bit more polite with your new guys might avoid more problems

How can you tell how polite or otherwise the OP was with this guy?

Have you read the OP, where he says this has been ongoing since last year (that's unacceptable even IF the OP is a pain in the hole to deal with!) and the fact that this guy has a growing reputation for letting people down..?

Obviously we're only getting one side of the story but I think you're being a bit hard on the OP.

dbran

Hi OP

First go get the books and records off this guy. If you have paid all your fees up to date he has no reason to hold them and by the sounds of things he may be only too glad to get rid of them to you.

Secondly, go get yourself another accountant, preferably one who is qualified and comes recomended from someone else.

If you have suffered any loss as a result of the previous accountants inaction then you may have a case to report him to his institute. But the institute will NOT GET INVOLOVED if the reason he is not dealing with you is because you will not pay his fees or because you are basically not tax compliant and to act for you would mean the accountant is effectively helping you to break the law.

Accountants are currently crying out for work so whenever I hear of these cases I wonder if there is actually another side to the story or if it is as black and white as you are saying it is.

Kind Regards

dbran

JD Dublin

If you do go to the accountants professional body with a complaint that this person has let you down, they will contact the accountant 'off the record' and try to solve it that way. They will do this much quicker than take a formal complaint against the person concerned.

Its time to get assertive with this accountant because this can wreck your business. I would get on to his professional body and don't take 'no' for an answer, make them bring this person to book, because he is not behaving properly.

smcgiff

Op,

Have you called to their offices?

I think this will most likely be required before the prof body take your complaint seriously

twelvetoten

Thanks for all the advice; much appreciated. I guess my particular query in terms of sanction (and how to ensure that no-one else gets sucked in) shall go unanswered then but I do appreciate the other pieces of advice. In my business, you can very easily get a bad reputation and be flagged to future customers as untrustworthy; it would seem that a similar flagging system does not apply in the Accountancy world. Mongarra, in particular, thank you for your very practical advice. I don't want to discuss detail in relation to this in a public forum - but suffice to say that I assure you lack of politeness or excessive demands has never been an issue, I have only requested to get my accounts in order in the appropriate, legal timeframe. I have made some progress now on this issue and thanks for your comments.

smcgiff

twelvetoten wrote: »

it would seem that a similar flagging system does not apply in the Accountancy world.

Okay - it's turned into a rant now, so off you go...