Filing another accountants work!

MichelleGroves

I am looking for any help or advice on filing a set of accounts produced by another accountant.

My client has received a fine for not completing end of year payroll. A copy of the form was sent to me when i took on the client! He has complained and she has now sent them in saying she will appeal against the fine. In the meantime I have told my client to pay the fine?

The next HMRC letter arrived advising his annual accounts have not yet been filed (has till 31.07.2012) once again a copy was sent to me on being his new advisor. The old accountant has complained to him saying she is ill and his calls are upsetting her! he has now asked me to file them for him as he cant rely on her , what would you get the client to sign to say ok for me to send in her accounts? can i do this as i havent checked them?

sorry for long winded story.

Thank You Michelle

jamesm96

Well, I'd sat that, ultimately, if the client signs the return then the responsibility lies with him. It is, after all, the clients responsibility to check the return. If I were you I would just get something in writing explaining that your service in this regard is purely administrative and that you have not checked any of the return. If he wants you to then you can quote him a fee for doing so.

Monsoon

jamesm96 wrote: »

Well, I'd sat that, ultimately, if the client signs the return then the responsibility lies with him. It is, after all, the clients responsibility to check the return. If I were you I would just get something in writing explaining that your service in this regard is purely administrative and that you have not checked any of the return. If he wants you to then you can quote him a fee for doing so.

Absolutely this.

I have done this, and my invoice for the last one stated:

"To convert a PDF file of company accounts to iXBRL. To convert an excel spreadsheet tax calculation to iXBRL. To transfer this information onto a CT600 corporation tax return and to file these with HMRC." i.e. Administrative/ Data Entry / Software work, not accountancy/ tax.

Oh, and I charged £65 for that.

JodieR

I've got a similar question here... a semi-retired accountant I know has recently taken on a few small Ltd Co clients. He's happy to prepare the accounts and tax computations on paper but has no desire to get involved with the iXBRL side of things and has asked if I'll take the work from TB to compliant accounts and corporation tax return. There isn't anything in my AAT MIP licence or insurance which would prevent me from doing this is there? I would invoice this accountant rather than the client direct and word the invoice similarly to monsoon's example above. Does anyone else have a similar arrangement with anyone & if so do you have a contract in place with them?