2 Calls this morning from prospective clients wanting SAR's completed. I wonder how AWEB brethren treat the "usual procedure" at this time of year. My gut reaction is to not accept any new instructions
My thoughts if I do
Normal AML procedure?? - must be followed
Professional clearance needed?? - I'd like it to find out the hidden facts - like is the client a PITA who doesn't pay. But is there time
HMRC authorisation ?? needed but no chance before 31st Jan
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My approach, "Give us a ring in February".2 Calls this morning from prospective clients wanting SAR's completed. I wonder how AWEB brethren treat the "usual procedure" at this time of year. My gut reaction is to not accept any new instructions
Already had a couple. For us the answer is no but I suppose if you have spare capacity you might consider it - with the clear proviso that you can't guarantee meeting the deadline - and want payment before any filing.
I don't take on any at this time of year. Once a last-minute client, always a last-minute client.
Agreed
Took one on 31st Jan 3 years ago
Never had anything before 27th Jan since
Still waiting this year
27th?
Eeeh, you were lucky. I had one last year on 31st January - not just 2019 but 2018 as well - he 'forgot' the year before.
Bless
27th?
Eeeh, you were lucky. I had one last year on 31st January - not just 2019 but 2018 as well - he 'forgot' the year before.Bless
Hehehe I've got a client who first year sent the info at 10.30 pm on the last date. Noticed it as I finished the last one on my list. As it was also a new Ltd Company client I didn't want to upset the applecart so got it done, albeit 15 mins past the deadline. Last year was a big improvement, I got the info at 5.30 pm!!!
This year I've made it clear that the info has to be with me by Monday or I can't guarantee it being done.
I've only got two returns left to do - well three really, a partnership and the two partners.
I never take anything on after the end of November which will require work before the end of March as, wearing another hat, we will be lambing in February/ early March.
Sadly I work from home and the farm has no mains power or landline telephone. If it did then I would have set the office up there long ago. We used to lamb 70 ewes over a six week period but as age is creeping up on me, we're now down to 15 or so over three weeks.
Personally I'd be sending them away. Most years i would/could have snuck a few extra in last minute (with no guarantees) but right now im estimating it might take me a week or so after the deadline to get them all done (or i could work weekends, =which I'm not going to do - i don't mind a bit of a long day in January but you have to draw a line somewhere).
I never object to taking on new clients at the last minute, though I make it clear that there are no promises about when their stuff will be done, and it is very likely the deadline will be missed.
Its a no from me. It isn't only the time to set them up, getting clearance etc but they are usually high maintenance - lots of queries on missing/unexplained info and just generally disorganised.
I dont take anyone on in January at all. I might be missing 'easy money' in some cases but honestly these days my view is there is more to life.
Once late, always late, very few of them actually change. I leaned that the hard way with a few 'lovely' clients who pushed to the brink of deadlines a few times in my early days. No more.
I'm a believer in not turning work away if we can do it although i probably would charge a premium. I'd do the Return based on the information supplied. With no chance of an HMRC authority being in place any calculation of his liability would be advised on the basis that we didn't have access and may be subject to change.
Generally, most clients that come to us in January are relatively straightforward cases.
Thanks everyone. I'm seeing one tomorrow and it will depend what work needs doing. If it's a carrier bag job the answer is NO
The other one I've turned down.
I weakened and interviewed one new prospect this morning. What a tale. Apparently the previous accountant waited until last week to tell the client that he didn't want to do returns any more and sent his paperwork back. The client was employed for the whole of the 2019-20 year until 20/02/20 and presented me a P45. The return will be simple. In the prior 2 years he was self employed hence the requirement to do returns
Apparently the old accountant has dumped approximately 25 other clients at the same time
Apparently the old accountant has dumped approximately 25 other clients at the same time
That's so unprofessional!
bernard michael wrote:
Apparently the old accountant has dumped approximately 25 other clients at the same time
That's so unprofessional!
Worse. this morning's prospect knows some of them. The phone's might go off the hook
My old boss used to do this, dump clients whenever he wanted and he would say he was retiring all the time.
I left this employment about 1.5 years ago and recently had a client asking me if I had finally corrected his return, I apologised to him and explained there must be some confusion as I've never completed a return for him, his answer:
'your boss told me the reason my return was wrong because you did it and he passed you my stuff, but as you now work from home he'd already phoned you a few times to discuss it but he'll sort it for me, he said he'd do it himself but...... he's retired'
I asked the client to put what was said into an email, but he wouldn't unfortunately. He looked very confused when I said I left 16 months ago.
I met this client getting a parking ticket before going shopping. What are the chances of that! My old boss thought there's no way the client or me, would ever find out his lies, but we both went to the same place, same time and needed a parking ticket at the same time - 30 miles away from where we live. I showed the client the last phone call from my boss in 2019 too just to add another shock factor. I wish I'd have been a fly on the wall when the client walked into the office.
Its a no from me. Only prospects I would speak to in January would be new business clients not self assessment.
My approach - add a zero onto the end of your normal fee quote for this kind of work. If they accept, yes, it's going to be a pain but at least you're getting danger money. If they don't accept - happy days.
Not everyone at this time of year is a PITA client with repeated late behaviour. Take each case on it's own merits.
I had someone who was trying to do their first return on the HMRC portal but it was showing errors and wouldn't submit and the helpdesk was no help. 80 year old grandmother trying to do her grandson's first return with him. Very minimal earnings.
In these times I think we need to look out for each other.
All normal AML etc will be adhered to, but I'm helping them.
A big no from me. Those who leave things this late are not the sort of clients I want. I'm normally on holiday anyway in January.
Depends how they arrive - random phone calls etc I probably wouldn't touch but if they arrive via an existing client recommendation bit trickier and would probably take them with provisio no guarantee can file on time.
Price, payment up front and engagement conditional on a long term instruction tends to sorts out which ones are more serious.
Last return (out of 300) went out the door on the 19th - so furlough payments and chasing the remaining returns still with clients back in again, seems to be the order of the day.
Brilliant idea.
We increase the clients fees by say £300 and pay HMRC £100 ourselves.
Client thinks were're wonderful, both HMRC and us are happy
This is one of those hardy perennials, though this year we though that some people on furlough and SEISS grants might have used some of their down time to catch up on their admin.
It seems not. Interesting mix of answers, as there were back in 2018 when Richard Hattersley rounded-up community thinking on the topic:
https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/practice/general-practice/sa-season-are-...