Peace of Mind

Peace of Mind…. “the absence of mental stress or anxiety”

We are committed to ensuring our clients are free from worry about their accounting and tax problems.  David and Lucy meet monthly to reflect on individual clients’ needs and they maintain their own ‘worry lists’ to consider areas where clients may be worried or confused.  This pro-active approach to client service is at the heart of the firm’s core principles.

We do not regard ourselves as selling accountancy and taxation services… We are selling PEACE OF MIND…

Notes

1. Practice Assurance is a scheme of practice review which applies to all Chartered Accountants in the UK (including the Channel Isles and the Isle of Man), the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein who hold a practising certificate. It provides Chartered Accountants in practice with a framework of quality assurance principles to help them assess and develop their practices, offering practical support and advice.

Practice Assurance has been designed to demonstrate to the business community and the wider public the institute’s commitment to upholding and developing public standards that command public confidence.

2. Unlimited ad hoc queries

This means it doesn’t cost extra to phone or email with those small queries or concerns that are bugging you.

3. Anyone can call themselves an accountant!

It’s true! So be wary of who you are dealing with. Questions to ask:

Ask your accountant:

• Are you qualified?

• I see you have letters after your name. Did you have to pass tough exams to get those letters?

• Did you train with a professional firm which instilled in you the concepts of service, professional ethics and integrity?

• Are you a member of a professional institute?

• Is entry to that institute by examination (you can join some by simply paying a fee)?

• Is your firm subject to inspection by your institute to ensure compliance with standards?

• Can clients complain to your Institute in the event of poor service or standards?

• Does your firm carry professional indemnity insurance so that clients are protected in case you make an error?

• Are you prepared to tell clients what they need to hear, not what they want to hear – no matter what the consequences, even if this means risking losing a client?

• Do you have to comply with a programme of continuing professional education, and if so is this required to be documented and is it subject to inspection?

• Do you have decades of experience?

• Have you represented clients during HMRC enquiries, including taking a case to tribunal?

• Do you have experience of larger businesses? This will be essential when your smaller/medium-sized companies grow.

• Do you provide a Fee Protection Scheme for your clients?

• Do you offer a business development programme for those business clients who are trying to grow their businesses?

Our answer to all these questions is “Yes”.