Complaints Procedure | The Tax Lead

Last reviewed: 21 May 2026

At a glance We aim to deliver an excellent service to every client, but we recognise that things occasionally go wrong. If you have a concern about any aspect of our work, please raise it with us in the first instance — we take complaints seriously and will address them promptly. If we cannot resolve a matter to your satisfaction, you can escalate it to ACCA (our supervisory body) or CIOT (for tax advice matters).

1. Our Commitment

The Tax Lead Limited (registered company number 14111081) is a UK firm of Chartered Certified Accountants and Chartered Tax Advisers. We are committed to providing high-quality professional services to all our clients. We recognise, however, that there may be occasions when you feel we have not met your expectations.

We treat every complaint as an opportunity to improve. We will handle your complaint promptly, fairly, transparently, and without charge.

2. How to Make a Complaint

In the first instance, please raise your concern with the partner or principal handling your matter — usually this means contacting Shamim Bhuiyan FCCA CTA directly. You can do this:

By email: [email protected] with subject line "Formal Complaint"
By post: The Tax Lead Limited, 37 Orsett Road, Grays, RM17 5DS
By phone: +44 (0) 203 376 0933 — though we recommend following up any phone discussion in writing

You may also raise a complaint in person at any meeting; we will then ask you to confirm the substance of your complaint in writing so we have a clear record.

3. What to Include in Your Complaint

To help us understand and address your concern efficiently, please include:

Your name, contact details, and (if applicable) the matter reference
A clear description of what went wrong, including dates and the people involved
What outcome or resolution you are seeking
Any supporting correspondence or documents

If you would prefer to discuss the issue informally first, we are happy to do so — but a written record helps us investigate properly.

4. Our Internal Complaints Process

Once we receive a complaint we will:

Acknowledge it within three working days, confirming who will handle the review
Review the matter in detail — examining the relevant correspondence, files, advice given, and any associated work
Investigate impartially — wherever possible the complaint will be reviewed by someone independent of the matter complained about
Respond in writing with our findings, any apology where appropriate, and any proposed resolution or remedial action
Discuss the response with you if you would like, by phone, video call, or in person

Where complaints raise issues that affect other clients or our procedures, we will use them to improve our service going forward.

5. Timescales

We aim to provide a full response within 21 working days of receiving the complaint. If for any reason the investigation requires longer (for example, where the matter is complex or where key personnel are temporarily unavailable), we will write to you to explain the delay and confirm when you can expect a substantive response. Complex complaints will not normally take more than eight weeks to resolve.

6. Escalating to ACCA

If we are unable to resolve your complaint to your satisfaction through our internal process, you may refer the matter to the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), our supervisory body. ACCA can investigate complaints about the professional conduct of our firm and our member-principal.

You can contact ACCA at:

Address: ACCA, The Adelphi, 1-11 John Adam Street, London WC2N 6AU
Phone: +44 (0)20 7059 5000
Website: accaglobal.com — complaints

ACCA generally expects clients to have first exhausted the firm's own complaints procedure before referring a matter to them.

7. Escalating to CIOT (Tax Advice Complaints)

For complaints relating specifically to tax advice (rather than accounting or compliance work), you may also refer the matter to the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT), which regulates our Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) qualification:

Address: CIOT, 30 Monck Street, London SW1P 2AP
Phone: +44 (0)20 7340 0550
Website: tax.org.uk — complaints procedure

8. Other Escalation Routes

Depending on the nature of your complaint, you may also have recourse to:

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) — for complaints about how we handle personal data. See ico.org.uk or call 0303 123 1113.
HMRC (as our AML supervisor) — for complaints about our anti-money-laundering compliance. Reference our AML supervision number, available on request.
The Office of Tax Simplification or similar bodies — for policy concerns, though these are not complaint-handling bodies.
Civil legal action — for matters where you believe you have suffered financial loss. We recommend taking independent legal advice before pursuing this route.

9. Record-keeping

We keep a written record of every complaint and our response for at least six years, in line with our professional and regulatory obligations. These records help us identify any recurring issues and improve our service. They are kept confidential and shared only with our regulators or auditors where required.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Complaints Procedure or wish to raise a concern, please contact us:

Email: [email protected]
Phone: +44 (0) 203 376 0933
Post: The Tax Lead Limited, 37 Orsett Road, Grays, RM17 5DS, United Kingdom

We thank you for giving us the opportunity to put things right. Your feedback — including complaints — helps us deliver a better service.