Should I delete old clients off my gov portal?

I have a few clients I have disengaged from & I am not sure if Have to delete the authorisation

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Hi, I'm not sure if GDPR regulations have anything to do with this, but I'm unsure of whether to remove disengaged clients off my government gateway portal. Would anyone be able to advise?

Replies (6)

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RLI
By lionofludesch
23rd Feb 2021 18:44

Yes you should. As soon as you cease to act.

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By Paul Crowley
23rd Feb 2021 18:53

I usually wait a couple of years.
But that is reserved to clients ceasing to need tax returns.

That kind of client often reappears

If they have moved on, the new agent should get appointed and they disappear on their own

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By New To Accountancy
23rd Feb 2021 21:58

I've recently had another accountant request an SA code (without the client requesting this, the old accountant had UTR as my new client left them), and although SA code was not passed, this client was still removed from the client list. So I think even a request (without SA code given) is enough to knock clients off your list.

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Replying to New To Accountancy:
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By Paul Crowley
23rd Feb 2021 23:06

That seems odd
Removal without client authorisation.

I had one disappear recently without explanation, but presumed client had done it on GG
Her failure to respond to my email pointing this out I took as not wanting to admit what she had done

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Replying to Paul Crowley:
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By New To Accountancy
23rd Feb 2021 23:24

Yes it was a new one on me too. The previous accountant had moved offices and I think it was his way of letting them know his new address and no admin needed in sending lots of emails or writing to tell client's.
Edit: when I say 'them' it happened to 3 clients, all 3 used to be with this accountant, all 3 received SA codes and all 3 were knocked off client list, so definitely not a computer glitch. One client I passed on but hadn't deleted him, I only knew he had gone because the new accountant emailed me asking for POA info.

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By mbee1
24th Feb 2021 07:46

We always leave ours for two or three years as, sometimes, they come back with a query that we need to speak to HMRC about and it saves the "faff" of having to reauthorise. Every so often we have a blitz of these people and delete them.

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