Thinking about changing accountants but worried about the hassle? You’re not alone. Most business owners stay with underperforming accountants because the switching process seems daunting. Here’s what actually happens—and why it’s easier than you think.
Signs It’s Time to Switch
First, let’s acknowledge why you’re reading this. Common reasons our clients switched to us:
- Slow responses – Emails take days or weeks to get answered
- Reactive only – You only hear from them when they need something
- Surprise bills – Invoices arrive with unexpected charges
- Outdated methods – Still relying on spreadsheets and paper
- No advice – They file what you give them but never suggest improvements
- Communication gaps – You don’t understand what they’re doing or why
- MTD unpreparedness – They haven’t mentioned Making Tax Digital deadlines
If two or more of these sound familiar, switching is probably overdue.
📌 The real cost of a bad accountant isn’t just their fees—it’s the tax savings you miss, the compliance risks you don’t know about, and the time you waste chasing responses.
What Happens When You Switch: The Process
Step 1: You Decide (Day 1)
You accept a quote and sign an engagement letter with your new accountant. That’s the only action required from you at this stage.
Step 2: Professional Handover (Days 2-14)
Your new accountant contacts your old one directly. There’s a standard professional protocol for this—accountants are required to cooperate with handovers.
We request:
- Recent accounts and tax returns
- Corporation Tax computations
- VAT records if applicable
- Payroll records if applicable
- Any outstanding HMRC correspondence
- Access credentials for accounting software
You don’t need to have awkward conversations with your old accountant. We handle all communication professionally.
Step 3: Records Review (Days 7-21)
We review everything received, identify any gaps, and assess the current state of your compliance. Sometimes we find errors that need correcting—better to discover them now than during an HMRC enquiry.
Step 4: Systems Setup (Days 14-28)
If you’re moving to cloud accounting software, we set up your new system and migrate historical data. If you’re already on Xero, QuickBooks, or FreeAgent, we simply gain access to your existing setup.
Step 5: Ongoing Service Begins
You have a functioning relationship with an accountant who actually responds. Novel concept.
Common Concerns (And Reality)
“What if my old accountant won’t cooperate?”
Professional bodies require accountants to provide handover information. In rare cases of non-cooperation, we escalate to professional bodies. But this is genuinely rare—most accountants cooperate professionally even if they’re disappointed to lose a client.
“What about work in progress?”
If your old accountant is partway through preparing accounts or returns, we can either take over (if there’s time before the deadline) or let them complete work already started. We’ll agree the cleanest handover point.
“Will it cost me twice for the transition period?”
Your old accountant may charge for final work completed. We don’t charge extra for onboarding and transition—it’s included in our standard fees.
“What if there’s a mess in my accounts?”
We’ll tell you honestly what we find. If there are problems, we’ll fix them—that’s part of what you’re paying for. It’s better to know now.
Best Time to Switch
Technically, you can switch at any time. Practically, these are good trigger points:
- After your year-end accounts are filed – Clean handover point
- Start of a new tax year – April is a natural transition
- Before a major deadline – If you’ve lost confidence in your current accountant’s ability to deliver
- When you’ve just received a frustrating invoice – Motivation is high
Don’t wait for the “perfect” time. If your accountant isn’t serving you well, every month you stay is a month of subpar service.
What Good Looks Like
After switching, you should experience:
- Responses within 48 hours (often same day)
- Proactive reminders about deadlines
- Clear, predictable pricing
- Actual advice, not just compliance
- Software that gives you real-time visibility
- Regular check-ins, not just annual contact
If that sounds appealing, you know what to do.
Ready to Switch?
We handle the entire transition. No awkward conversations with your old accountant required.