I am on assignment via an agency and accounting is not my only issue to resolve for this SME it seems... Thank you for your points and the responses so far to point me in the right direction.
Put all your points in an email to the director that you will be submitting according to the HMRC legislation re P11D. Should he argue and he does not agree and requires you to submit a nil return due to the circumstances he states of a workplace from home, he is ultimately responsible for that submission.
My first reaction is that you can't assume all what you are being told is correct. Write to the previous accountant , recorded delivery, at the last known address re transfer information. You may get a response from someone or know a bit more.
It maybe that they are ill (eg covid) and so somebody is working on their behalf re the back up that a professional accountant would have, hence the accounts are filed.
Also, make it quite clear in your engagement letter what you have been told by the client, eg " I am informed by yourself that you are not able to reach your previous accountant " and any other relevant information. Do not act until he has signed they copy..
Sage 200 seems like your answer, easily transferred over from your current Sage 50.
I have used both and when you get used to the Sage 200 , it's actually good information.
Even if she delivered the books in March 21, my terms of engagement say a minimum 4 week turnaround time. This stops people dropping VAT returns off to you on the day its due and other work because obviously they are your only client !
Accept you made a mistake but be constructive such as information on a portal should be password protected so nobody else could be opening them.
I think we have all done something similar in our time due to email addresses etc, and the receiving client will have no idea what you are talking about .
But I would enquire as to why the business is possibly losing a client over this. Did they write a letter in and complain , how did they know ?
Don't worry too much , its a storm in a teacup, the more senior person just has some explaining to do which , if handled professionally, shouldn't be an issue when they also explain what they have done to ensure it doesn't happen again.
My answers
I am on assignment via an agency and accounting is not my only issue to resolve for this SME it seems... Thank you for your points and the responses so far to point me in the right direction.
Put all your points in an email to the director that you will be submitting according to the HMRC legislation re P11D. Should he argue and he does not agree and requires you to submit a nil return due to the circumstances he states of a workplace from home, he is ultimately responsible for that submission.
Duplicated/deleted
My first reaction is that you can't assume all what you are being told is correct. Write to the previous accountant , recorded delivery, at the last known address re transfer information. You may get a response from someone or know a bit more.
It maybe that they are ill (eg covid) and so somebody is working on their behalf re the back up that a professional accountant would have, hence the accounts are filed.
Also, make it quite clear in your engagement letter what you have been told by the client, eg " I am informed by yourself that you are not able to reach your previous accountant " and any other relevant information. Do not act until he has signed they copy..
Just in case it comes back to bite you.....
Dare I say it, phone the HMRC and see if you are still the acting agent ?
Sage 200 seems like your answer, easily transferred over from your current Sage 50.
I have used both and when you get used to the Sage 200 , it's actually good information.
Even if she delivered the books in March 21, my terms of engagement say a minimum 4 week turnaround time. This stops people dropping VAT returns off to you on the day its due and other work because obviously they are your only client !
Accept you made a mistake but be constructive such as information on a portal should be password protected so nobody else could be opening them.
I think we have all done something similar in our time due to email addresses etc, and the receiving client will have no idea what you are talking about .
But I would enquire as to why the business is possibly losing a client over this. Did they write a letter in and complain , how did they know ?
Don't worry too much , its a storm in a teacup, the more senior person just has some explaining to do which , if handled professionally, shouldn't be an issue when they also explain what they have done to ensure it doesn't happen again.
Yes, they were happy to get the grant and are now complaining about the tax bill.
Just use the trading name of your practice, [email protected], [email protected]