How to complain about a firm of accountants.
Discussion
I used a new company for my tax returns for 2012-2013,they were constantly on the phone pestering me so I used them.
It came across as though they had a 'sales' team that roped in punters like me by promising the earth 'Oh no we dont need to see your reciepts,we will do it all over the phone,we will claim for this that and the other for you,you will get £xxx.It was like pulling teeth from then on trying to get an honest answer out of them regarding how long it would take to get the money (things were slow and I really needed the money).
I did not exaggerate anything on the phone but just went along with their 'advice'!?
Well the HMRC decided to pick my name out of the hat and do an audit.I sent OBK what reciepts I had and now they have informed me that I owe the tax man over £1000.
Obviously I feel very annoyed about this,I really want to create a stink about the way they have behaved,should I not waste my time and just pay up?
Mod note: please don't name and shame on PH.
It came across as though they had a 'sales' team that roped in punters like me by promising the earth 'Oh no we dont need to see your reciepts,we will do it all over the phone,we will claim for this that and the other for you,you will get £xxx.It was like pulling teeth from then on trying to get an honest answer out of them regarding how long it would take to get the money (things were slow and I really needed the money).
I did not exaggerate anything on the phone but just went along with their 'advice'!?
Well the HMRC decided to pick my name out of the hat and do an audit.I sent OBK what reciepts I had and now they have informed me that I owe the tax man over £1000.
Obviously I feel very annoyed about this,I really want to create a stink about the way they have behaved,should I not waste my time and just pay up?
Mod note: please don't name and shame on PH.
Edited by Bill on Tuesday 21st January 21:09
eddy02 said:
It was like pulling teeth from then on trying to get an honest answer out of them regarding how long it would take to get the money (things were slow and I really needed the money).
And this didn't ring any alarm bells with you? 
I would regard with extreme suspicion any so-called accountancy firm that uses fake carton superheroes to promote their services. Glitz over substance.
eddy02 said:
I did not exaggerate anything on the phone but just went along with their 'advice'!?
I'm sorry but the phrase 'A fool and his money...' springs to mind.If you check with HMRC you will find the responsibility for the correctness of any tax return always rest with the taxpayer. If you sub-contracted the job to a third party HMRC could give a monkey's. Doing so always carries the risk of the third party getting it wrong (if, in fact, they have).
eddy02 said:
Well the HMRC decided to pick my name out of the hat and do an audit.I sent OBK what reciepts I had and now they have informed me that I owe the tax man over £1000.
I'm not clear what you are saying? Are we talking about Income Tax or VAT? Did they promise you a refund? Or that they under calculated your tax liability which has come to light at the HMRC audit? How do you know HMRC's figures are correct? The first you need to do is find out exactly what calculations the taxman has used to get there. If the firm have screwed up you will have to prove negligence to get any recompense.Oh btw, the Senior Partner at this 'Avant Garde' (whatever that means) firm has no accountancy background or qualification that I can discern. Nor does the Managing Partner. Did you not check any of this firm's people on LinkedIn and other sources?
Buy cheap, pay twice.
There may some good AND cheap accountants, lawyers, doctors, surveyors, etc out there, but, if there are, I have yet to find them. Normally, it's a case of "Do you want good, or do you want cheap? You can't have both."
Which professional body (if any) do these dudes belong to? ACCA? ICAEW?
There may some good AND cheap accountants, lawyers, doctors, surveyors, etc out there, but, if there are, I have yet to find them. Normally, it's a case of "Do you want good, or do you want cheap? You can't have both."
Which professional body (if any) do these dudes belong to? ACCA? ICAEW?
Based on the OP's post, it is not obvious that this firm of accountants have done anything wrong at all - apart from failing to meet the OP's perhaps unrealistic expectations.
As has been mentioned, I would go ahead and pay the £1,000 - which I presume is due at the end of this month.
If the OP thinks that the accountancy firm HAVE made mistakes or errors in preparing the tax return, I suggest that he finds another accountant so that he/she can review the work that has been done to see if any mistakes or errors were made. If there HAVE been mistakes, then a complaint to the relevant professional body can be made.
Also, if there are errors in the details submitted to HMRC, a "repaired" tax return can be submitted later and the correct tax amount assessed. Any overpaid amounts will be refunded.
Regarding the HMRC "audit, firstly, HMRC do not use that term. They will call it an "enquiry" or an "investigation". Even though they CAN open an enquiry on a "random" selection basis, in my experience, HMRC hardly ever open an enquiry into a return using their "random" powers.
Usually, they open enquiries when there is something they think not quite right about the figures shown on the tax return or associated schedules supplied with the return.
I would certainly want to know what the basis of the tax enquiry is.
As has been mentioned, I would go ahead and pay the £1,000 - which I presume is due at the end of this month.
If the OP thinks that the accountancy firm HAVE made mistakes or errors in preparing the tax return, I suggest that he finds another accountant so that he/she can review the work that has been done to see if any mistakes or errors were made. If there HAVE been mistakes, then a complaint to the relevant professional body can be made.
Also, if there are errors in the details submitted to HMRC, a "repaired" tax return can be submitted later and the correct tax amount assessed. Any overpaid amounts will be refunded.
Regarding the HMRC "audit, firstly, HMRC do not use that term. They will call it an "enquiry" or an "investigation". Even though they CAN open an enquiry on a "random" selection basis, in my experience, HMRC hardly ever open an enquiry into a return using their "random" powers.
Usually, they open enquiries when there is something they think not quite right about the figures shown on the tax return or associated schedules supplied with the return.
I would certainly want to know what the basis of the tax enquiry is.
If the OP has been hit with an unexpected tax bill then "something" has gone wrong. It's hard to say whose fault it is without more info - OP, have you asked your accountants WHY you've been issued with a tax demand? Did they tell you you had no tax to pay?
Anyway, if you're not happy complain to whichever professional body they belong to. If they don't belong to a professional body then to be honest it was risky using them in the first place.
Anyway, if you're not happy complain to whichever professional body they belong to. If they don't belong to a professional body then to be honest it was risky using them in the first place.
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