What actually happens when you change accountant

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.