A practitioner for more than 20 years, Tony Margaritelli is Chairman of the ICPA to promote recognition of small practice accountants who remain the top trusted advisors to millions of UK businesses.
A member of the AccountingWEB Live advisory board, Tony brings a unique perspective on what it means to be a practitioner and leads an organisation that serves and speaks on behalf of more than 1,140 fellow professionals.
If you have a problem with an ICPA member the simplest thing is to just give us a call on 0800-074-2896 and chat with us about the problem. "No names no pack drill" if that is what you want at this stage.
We will always do our best to help resolve matters without the need for the formal complaints procedure.
Usually, a call is often all it takes but ultimately if we are unable to resolve the issue informally then our complaints procedure will take over which will involve formal written complaints which are passed before our discipline committee.
When we started the ICPA a few years ago we tried to make it the organisation dedicated to the Accountant in Practice because we were accountants in practice and we had been let down over the years by institutes purporting to support us but not actually understanding what was required.
Our members benefits ranging from the £350,000 PI Insurance to the Telephone Support Helpline, to the Cloud Software, to the Tottel Tax Books, to the Locumn service, to the significant software savings are testimony to our success. To see all the bnenefits just visit www.icpa.org.uk for those I have missed.
Today we have in excess of 670 member practices which allowing for partners is in excess of 800 individual Accountants.
As our numbers have grown so has our standing within the Profession. We now have ICPA Representatives on numerous WT Groups around the Country, we reply to consultations whenever they effect our members and recently I was asked to attend Number 11 Downing Street to discuss Tax and SME's, which is further testiment to our growing reputation. Our in-house magazine Accounting Practice carries two pages per issue given over to HMRC and Brian Redford Head of HMRC Dealing with Agents has used this platform to publicise issues they believe Agents need to be aware of.
We pioneered free CPE originally supplied on disc and now delivered to members via the Internet. Each issue includes a 3 hour Mercia lecture complete with notes and lots more. Recently we have signed up TAXtv to be shown to members at meetings and we sponsor the AcountingWeb Annual Awards.
Small practice Accountants need and deserve an organisation dedicated to them and we have tried to make the ICPA fulfill this aim. Other organisations and Institutes purport to support the small practitioner but over the years this has been shown to be rhetoric which was why started the ICPA and why we are gaining members every week.
I know as Chairman, you will think I'm biased in what I write and obviously I am, but I am very proud of our achievements and hopeful for the future and if all I have done is to get you to our website then I will have succeeded.
Anyway if you simply want to have a chat about anything just give me a call on 0800-074-2896 and I'll be happy to talk to you.
All ICPA Members have access to free telephone support covering all the taxes, employment legislation and legal issues provided by QDOS Consulting. Any issue not covered by telephone support such as Accounting matters are dealt with by a call direct to the ICPA who will source an answer.
Apart from the telephone support members benefit from the tax articles database which contains 100's of articles on a vast range of tax and accounting issues, FREE copies of Tottel's Corporation Tax, Income Tax and Value Added Tax each year, Free CPE delived to their desktop including a 3 hour Mercia Lecture and most recently for members attending the Bristol and Doncaster Branches a chance to watch TAXtv.
All of which are in addition to the £300,000 fully ICAEW Compliant Professional Indemnity Cover, our practictioner based magazine "Accounting Practice" and lots more including free software.
Do check us out at www.icpa.org.uk or if you prefer to talk to a human call us on 0800-074-2896.
Call the ICPA on 0800-074-2896 As Doug says we do indeed have a robust complaints procedure so please give us a call on 0800-074-2896 and we can see if the errant Accountant is indeed a member and if we can help in any way.
Martin and Sam are both right Martin and Sam's posts are both the best answers you are likely to get, which is often the case where Martin is concerned.
The only hope and it is a slight one is that possibly the owner rents more than one cab and you may be able to establish who the other drivers renting are and see what they are paying/recording. A chat with them may help you get some form of receipt from them to help back up your client's claim. They should be keen to help because most likely they will be next up for enquiry if they hav'ent any receipts and have been claiming under the same basis as your client..
However, each cab would most likely be rented at a different rate but you never know.
Suggest you re read Martin and Sams posts and act accordingly.
TCSP for ML purposes HMRC views on the provision of registered office address is that it renders you liable to register as a TCSP. The number of clients using the facility was irrelevant.
We raised this many times and they have never wavered.
The Tottel Tax Annuals are great value for money books for the general practice accountant.
There are undoubtedly books available which deal with tax issues in more depth and there are doubtless more books available that don't provide enough information.
As I say great value for money books which is why all ICPA members will receive a FREE copy of Tottel Corp Tax, Vat and Income Tax as part of their membership this year.
We did the same last year and I recall only 3 maybe 4 unhappy members.
Irrespective of whether you are an ICPA member or contemplating joining the ICPA or have no desire whatsoever of joining the ICPA these books are still Great Value for Money.
We at the ICPA advise our members that the simplest option to take is to undertake standard MLR checks on all new clients and not to request any information concerning MLR from the outgoing Accountant.
Regarding requests from incoming Accountants we suggest that a simple
"With regard to paragraph *** of your letter be advised that we do not respond to any matter raised regarding Money Laundering by any party. The identity or otherwise of the persons detailed in your letter are for you to establish and nothing we specify within this letter with regard to hand over information is to be construed as exonerating you from your responsibilities in this regard. Equally, we do respond to any requests regarding actual or suspected money laundering transgressions. Be advised further that our refusal to divulge any information with regard to these matters is not to be interpreted as either admission or denial that such transgressions have taken place."
My answers
ICPA Procedures
If you have a problem with an ICPA member the simplest thing is to just give us a call on 0800-074-2896 and chat with us about the problem. "No names no pack drill" if that is what you want at this stage.
We will always do our best to help resolve matters without the need for the formal complaints procedure.
Usually, a call is often all it takes but ultimately if we are unable to resolve the issue informally then our complaints procedure will take over which will involve formal written complaints which are passed before our discipline committee.
Tony Margaritelli - Chair ICPA
LLP Accounts
Checkout www.surebeck.co.uk we recommend them to members with this question all the time at the ICPA.
Tony Margaritelli - Chair ICPA
ICPA 670 + Practices and Growing
When we started the ICPA a few years ago we tried to make it the organisation dedicated to the Accountant in Practice because we were accountants in practice and we had been let down over the years by institutes purporting to support us but not actually understanding what was required.
Our members benefits ranging from the £350,000 PI Insurance to the Telephone Support Helpline, to the Cloud Software, to the Tottel Tax Books, to the Locumn service, to the significant software savings are testimony to our success. To see all the bnenefits just visit www.icpa.org.uk for those I have missed.
Today we have in excess of 670 member practices which allowing for partners is in excess of 800 individual Accountants.
As our numbers have grown so has our standing within the Profession. We now have ICPA Representatives on numerous WT Groups around the Country, we reply to consultations whenever they effect our members and recently I was asked to attend Number 11 Downing Street to discuss Tax and SME's, which is further testiment to our growing reputation. Our in-house magazine Accounting Practice carries two pages per issue given over to HMRC and Brian Redford Head of HMRC Dealing with Agents has used this platform to publicise issues they believe Agents need to be aware of.
We pioneered free CPE originally supplied on disc and now delivered to members via the Internet. Each issue includes a 3 hour Mercia lecture complete with notes and lots more. Recently we have signed up TAXtv to be shown to members at meetings and we sponsor the AcountingWeb Annual Awards.
Small practice Accountants need and deserve an organisation dedicated to them and we have tried to make the ICPA fulfill this aim. Other organisations and Institutes purport to support the small practitioner but over the years this has been shown to be rhetoric which was why started the ICPA and why we are gaining members every week.
I know as Chairman, you will think I'm biased in what I write and obviously I am, but I am very proud of our achievements and hopeful for the future and if all I have done is to get you to our website then I will have succeeded.
Anyway if you simply want to have a chat about anything just give me a call on 0800-074-2896 and I'll be happy to talk to you.
Tony Margaritelli - Chair ICPA
Check Out The ICPA
All ICPA Members have access to free telephone support covering all the taxes, employment legislation and legal issues provided by QDOS Consulting. Any issue not covered by telephone support such as Accounting matters are dealt with by a call direct to the ICPA who will source an answer.
Apart from the telephone support members benefit from the tax articles database which contains 100's of articles on a vast range of tax and accounting issues, FREE copies of Tottel's Corporation Tax, Income Tax and Value Added Tax each year, Free CPE delived to their desktop including a 3 hour Mercia Lecture and most recently for members attending the Bristol and Doncaster Branches a chance to watch TAXtv.
All of which are in addition to the £300,000 fully ICAEW Compliant Professional Indemnity Cover, our practictioner based magazine "Accounting Practice" and lots more including free software.
Do check us out at www.icpa.org.uk or if you prefer to talk to a human call us on 0800-074-2896.
Tony Margaritelli - Chair ICPA
Call the ICPA on 0800-074-2896
As Doug says we do indeed have a robust complaints procedure so please give us a call on 0800-074-2896 and we can see if the errant Accountant is indeed a member and if we can help in any way.
Ask for me Tony when you call.
Tony Margaritelli - Chair ICPA
Martin and Sam are both right
Martin and Sam's posts are both the best answers you are likely to get, which is often the case where Martin is concerned.
The only hope and it is a slight one is that possibly the owner rents more than one cab and you may be able to establish who the other drivers renting are and see what they are paying/recording. A chat with them may help you get some form of receipt from them to help back up your client's claim. They should be keen to help because most likely they will be next up for enquiry if they hav'ent any receipts and have been claiming under the same basis as your client..
However, each cab would most likely be rented at a different rate but you never know.
Suggest you re read Martin and Sams posts and act accordingly.
Tony Margaritelli - Chair ICPA
TCSP for ML purposes
HMRC views on the provision of registered office address is that it renders you liable to register as a TCSP. The number of clients using the facility was irrelevant.
We raised this many times and they have never wavered.
Tony Margaritelli - chiar ICPA
Tottel Books are Great Value
The Tottel Tax Annuals are great value for money books for the general practice accountant.
There are undoubtedly books available which deal with tax issues in more depth and there are doubtless more books available that don't provide enough information.
As I say great value for money books which is why all ICPA members will receive a FREE copy of Tottel Corp Tax, Vat and Income Tax as part of their membership this year.
We did the same last year and I recall only 3 maybe 4 unhappy members.
Irrespective of whether you are an ICPA member or contemplating joining the ICPA or have no desire whatsoever of joining the ICPA these books are still Great Value for
Money.
Tony Margaritelli - Chairman ICPA
Money Laundering and Incoming/outgoing Accountant
Simon,
We at the ICPA advise our members that the simplest option to take is to undertake standard MLR checks on all new clients and not to request any information concerning MLR from the outgoing Accountant.
Regarding requests from incoming Accountants we suggest that a simple
"With regard to paragraph *** of your letter be advised that we do not respond to any matter raised regarding Money Laundering by any party. The identity or otherwise of the persons detailed in your letter are for you to establish and nothing we specify within this letter with regard to hand over information is to be construed as exonerating you from your responsibilities in this regard. Equally, we do respond to any requests regarding actual or suspected money laundering transgressions. Be advised further that our refusal to divulge any information with regard to these matters is not to be interpreted as either admission or denial that such transgressions have taken place."
Hope this helps.
Tony Margaritelli - Chair ICPA
ICPA & QDOS
Checkout the ICPA Fee Protection Scheme run in conjunction with QDOS at
www.icpa.org.uk
Tony Margaritelli - Chair ICPA