Thinking about switching accountant is often put off longer than it needs to be, usually because it sounds more disruptive than it is. In practice, most of the work happens between the two firms, not through you.

It starts with a letter, not an argument

Once you've told us you'd like to move, we write formally to your current accountant to request "professional clearance": a standard letter confirming there's no professional reason we shouldn't take you on. Almost every accountant deals with this routinely, and there's no need for an awkward conversation; it's handled firm to firm.

What we handle for you

  • Requesting professional clearance and confirming there are no outstanding issues
  • Asking your previous accountant for the information we need: accounting records, prior year accounts and tax returns, and any HMRC or Companies House correspondence
  • Notifying HMRC that we now act for you, so we can deal with them directly going forward
  • Checking filing deadlines aren't missed during the handover, particularly if a year end or VAT return is close

What you need to do

Really just two things: let your outgoing accountant know you're moving on, and sign a letter of engagement with us so we're authorised to act. Everything else (the paperwork trail, the requests, the HMRC authorisation) is ours to chase.

Most changeovers complete within a few weeks, and there's rarely a good reason to wait for a "natural" point in the year. The sooner professional clearance starts, the sooner we can make sure nothing falls between two accountants.

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