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Am I expecting too much?

  • 04-08-2020 1:11pm
    #1
    Umiq88
    Registered Users Posts: 1,558 ✭✭✭


    I am a small 2 director LTD company. I recently switched accountants as my previous account would up the practice and have gone with a larger firm in the city.

    Price is roughly 1750+VAT for the usual services inc payroll, accounts, returns VAT etc.

    I've emailed numerous times and only get half responses and some questions are ignored. I appreciate I may be a smaller client but I'm still paying for a service. I might have sent 5-6 emails over several months never more than 2 weeks together so I'm not hassling anybody. Some questions have just be ignored more half answered.

    I'm tempted to just pull the plug as I need to know whats's going on with by accounts and submissions. Last thing I want is late submission.

    Has anyone any advice. The accountancy side of things is very simple but it would be preferable to have someone I could ask tax advice to also.

    A quick google brings up ICON accounting. Anyone any experience with these?


Comments

  • #2
    davindub
    Registered Users Posts: 1,447 ✭✭✭davindub


    Umiq88 wrote: »
    I am a small 2 director LTD company. I recently switched accountants as my previous account would up the practice and have gone with a larger firm in the city.

    Price is roughly 1750+VAT for the usual services inc payroll, accounts, returns VAT etc.

    I've emailed numerous times and only get half responses and some questions are ignored. I appreciate I may be a smaller client but I'm still paying for a service. I might have sent 5-6 emails over several months never more than 2 weeks together so I'm not hassling anybody. Some questions have just be ignored more half answered.

    I'm tempted to just pull the plug as I need to know whats's going on with by accounts and submissions. Last thing I want is late submission.

    Has anyone any advice. The accountancy side of things is very simple but it would be preferable to have someone I could ask tax advice to also.

    A quick google brings up ICON accounting. Anyone any experience with these?

    What kind of questions?

    Many accountancy firms are very busy at the moment, there is a backlog of work. But 1750 for payroll, vat returns and accounts seems a bit low, so your firm may not have allocated much time for their staff to answer queries.


  • #3
    marizpan
    Registered Users Posts: 443 ✭✭marizpan


    Just my 2cent.
    The fee level is too low for payroll, vat, company accounts and I assume directors income tax returns.

    And to be emailing with queries (5-6 emails every 2 months) is a lot of queries for such a small account.

    This type of account would actually be one that I would be trying to pass on to another accountant ( assuming they’d take it on at those fee levels).

    OP I say the above not as an insult but to provide a hopefully balanced view from the other side.
    If you are looking for a higher level of service then you will generally expect to pay a higher fee.


  • #4
    duffysfarm
    Registered Users Posts: 845 ✭✭✭duffysfarm


    Very good observation below. You would also have to aks3he question, why did the old accountant close up and go to work for some onee else?
    marizpan wrote: »
    Just my 2cent.
    The fee level is too low for payroll, vat, company accounts and I assume directors income tax returns.

    And to be emailing with queries (5-6 emails every 2 months) is a lot of queries for such a small account.

    This type of account would actually be one that I would be trying to pass on to another accountant ( assuming they’d take it on at those fee levels).

    OP I say the above not as an insult but to provide a hopefully balanced view from the other side.
    If you are looking for a higher level of service then you will generally expect to pay a higher fee.


  • #5
    Umiq88
    Registered Users Posts: 1,558 ✭✭✭Umiq88


    Thanks for the feedback. Old accountant closed due to personal issues.

    Looks like I'm expecting too much for the price.

    Has anyone got experience with accountancy firms for contractors such as icon?


  • #6
    marizpan
    Registered Users Posts: 443 ✭✭marizpan


    Have you considered trying to renegotiate your current contract with your current accountant? If you are happy with them in general then why not try this ?

    I imagine you are on a fixed fee contract for compliance work only. So any queries/email (Advisory work) are outside of the scope of your fixed fee.

    One of the biggest issues accountants in practice have currently is scope creep. Whereby you both have agreed a fixed price for fixed service.
    But most clients expect that advice is thrown in for free whereas it’s a totally separate service and very time consuming.


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