Accountant-client confidentiality

Accountant-client confidentiality

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Hi everyone

Cut a long story short... we are getting a new accountant (used to be our old accountant).

Our ex-bookkeeper (who has a personal vendetta against our old accountant, forced us to move by making up stories about him...) has been in contact with a partner in the business, leaving voicemails the day after a clearance letter was sent to our current accountant. Ex-bookkeeper is furious about how we are moving back to old accountant after everything he has done etc etc. We sent an email to current accountant in January to ensure that ex-bookkeeper did not have access to any of our materials and to ensure that she has nothing more to do with the business.

Obviously our current (old) accountant (who is chartered) has informed ex-bookkeeper about our move to new accountant. Is this not a breach of confidentiality? 

Replies (16)

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By mrme89
15th Apr 2015 07:29

Does it matter?

 

Just get on with your life.

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Stepurhan
By stepurhan
15th Apr 2015 08:47

Unprovable

The timing is odd, but your accusation is still based on guesswork. You aren't going to get any body, legal or professional, interested with that level of "evidence".

The actions of the book-keeper sound like harassment though. If they persist then you should consider taking legal action against them.

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By NHGlos
15th Apr 2015 08:58

Relationship

Have you discussed the issue with your new accountant? Without wanting to play devil's advocate, there may be a reasonable explanation. You mentioned you wanted to be sure the book-keeper no longer had access, was it possible the accountant would have made genuine contact for documents, records etc.? 

What you need to ask yourself is does this matter to you? If it does, then you may need to re-consider the on going engagement with the accountant.

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By andy.partridge
15th Apr 2015 09:55

Why

With 280,000 qualified accountants in the country why did you choose a former one that you knew might cause you some grief? And when did a bookkeeper 'force' a client to do anything?

Unless the accountant was expressly forbidden from keeping their appointment a secret I can't see a breach of confidentiality,but possibly an error of judgement. Have you asked them why they informed the ex-bookkeeper?

Why are you tolerant of the ex-bookkeeper? It sounds as though their behaviour is tantamount to harassment and you should get a solicitor's letter out to them.

Is there more to this than you are letting on?

Edit. On re-reading I may be confused by who the old accountant and who the new accountant is! 

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By mrme89
15th Apr 2015 09:38

I think there is some confusion due to the way the OP is worded. I think they are happy with the new accountant, who they had used before, but the grievance is with the old accountant who has now received a clearance from the old new accountant.

 

It sounds as though they have allowed the bookkeeper to act in this way. Simply acting like an adult by telling them you are moving back to your old accountant and you no longer require their services could have prevented aggravation for yourself.  I'd also be [***] off if I were the bookkeeper and had found out through a third party that my services were no longer required ... you should be telling them yourself.

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By NHGlos
15th Apr 2015 09:45

A fox, a chicken and sack of corn

I thought I had the "connections" sussed, but reading "andy.partridge" and "mrme89", I'm no longer so sure who the book-keeper is unhappy with and which accountant they have spoken with.

Can you clarify, perhaps refer to accountants buy their order or engagement? Also, how did the book-keeper become "ex", who told them?

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By Bungo
15th Apr 2015 10:12

confused
I read that earlier and thought it was just me that found it rather baffling! I finally concluded that the old accountant, new accountant and current accountant are the same person? All sounds like a fuss over nothing anyway.

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By Jekyll and Hyde
15th Apr 2015 18:14

I read it as......
Old and new accountant is the same person.

Current accountant (outgoing accountant), that was sacked (associates with book keeper) told book keeper that client has moved away from their practice.

Other then a very trial potential breach, I am guessing that no actual confidential information has been leaked. Perhaps merely all that was said was along the lines of "our mutual friend has now left us and gone back to old accountants"

I don't read it as any more than this.

however, he may not have informed them at all. Equally the new (old) accountant could have sent a clearence letter to the outgoing book keepers and requested handover information and the client is blaming the outgoing accountant (current) for this breach.

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By Anne Robinson
15th Apr 2015 19:06

I've lost the will to live

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By User deleted
17th Apr 2015 00:16

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the comments. Basically those that say 'why bother' probably do have a point.. however, there is more to the story than what I said as to keep it short & simple etc.

The only reason I am worried is due to the harassment and constant phone calls etc. We weren't "forced" to move, but the financial side of the business was mainly in her hands and she made up a very sick story about how one partner in our old accountancy firm forced another partner out because he was in an accident and ended up severely disabled. Anyway, she strongly advised us to move to a firm about 60 miles away (as she couldn't work with the old accountants). The accountants she advised us to go to turned out to be a disaster... he didn't reply to information notices from an enquiry. So we moved back to the accountant we had no problems with.

I'll leave it at that. Sorry for the hassle.

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By cparker87
17th Apr 2015 01:28

Other thread

Is this the accountant that you wouldn't pay back in 2014? 

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Replying to Accountant A:
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By User deleted
17th Apr 2015 01:33

yes, same one. Got a bill from him about a month ago for £6600

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By cparker87
17th Apr 2015 01:58

I am going to assume that is a yes

If my previous post is correct and this whole issue relates to the VAT discussed at https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/anyanswers/question/vat-correcting-errors then your underdeclaration is £7k. 

Your potential penalty is presumably based on prompted and careless and therefore 15-30% (may differ - please check). At 30% that's £2,100. Total £9,100. 

You have received a bill for £6,600 presumably for representation only. That brings the total to £15,700. 

Unless you have good grounds for argument that the £9,100 is not due (and let me remind you that "my book-keeper made a mistake" is NOT grounds for an argument) you may just be better rolling over and having your belly tickled. It may be commercially better to pay the £9,100 (or less!)

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By User deleted
17th Apr 2015 03:16

By the time the month is over, I'm going to have to fork out about £30,000 between the £2.5k PAYE Bill, VAT for last quarter, that under declaration and £9k self-assessment due alongside interest because the accountant submitted draft returns with a profit about £25000 less than the proper returns. And then there's his bill.

As to the poster 2 posts above, no, I'm moving away from the one that just gave me that bill.

Sometimes I wonder whether it's worthwhile being self employed in a restaurant business

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Replying to alfredpennypinch:
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By User deleted
17th Apr 2015 11:41

I'm just ranting

Flash Gordon wrote:

jdowning640 wrote:
By the time the month is over, I'm going to have to fork out about £30,000 between the £2.5k PAYE Bill, VAT for last quarter, that under declaration and £9k self-assessment due alongside interest because the accountant submitted draft returns with a profit about £25000 less than the proper returns. And then there's his bill. As to the poster 2 posts above, no, I'm moving away from the one that just gave me that bill. Sometimes I wonder whether it's worthwhile being self employed in a restaurant business

So you've got c£30k to pay - well that's called taxation. We all have to pay it. It sucks but it means that we don't have to maintain the roads ourselves, pay to see a doctor, protect our homes personally etc. 

And you're leaving an accountant who's just billed you - sounds like a case of 'I don't want to pay so I'll go elsewhere'. 

I'd recommend going to work for someone else. That way we know you'll pay your tax on time because your employer will do it for you. And you won't be able to avoid paying your bills. 

Well you're wrong. The accountant will be paid but what's the point in having an accountant that drags enquirys out resulting in information notices being produced and being over 50 miles away?

And you make it sound like it's easy to 'get up and go'. The business has a turnover of £350,000 and is very very busy but it's like there's a bucket with a big hole at the bottom of it taking everything out (wife)

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By mrme89
17th Apr 2015 07:50

There's more to the story, but you don't tell us the full story. 

 

From the information provided what response did you want exactly?

 

Oh, and the tax you owe - you've already had the money so paying the tax shouldn't be a problem.

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