From First Call to Fully Onboarded
Six clear phases — every step handled by our team so the transition is smooth and stress-free for you.
Free Discovery Call
We start with a free, no-obligation discovery call. There’s no agenda — we listen. We’ll understand your current situation, what you need, what’s not working with your current accountant, and whether we’re the right fit for you. If we are, we’ll tell you exactly what we can do and what it will cost.
Written Proposal & Letter of Engagement
If you’d like to proceed, we send a clear written proposal setting out the scope of work and fixed fees. Once agreed, we issue a formal Letter of Engagement — a professional services contract that protects both parties and confirms exactly what we will and won’t do. We do not begin any work until the engagement letter is signed.
Identity Verification & Anti-Money Laundering Checks
As an regulated by ACCA firm, we are required by law under the Money Laundering Regulations to verify the identity of all new clients before we begin acting. We use Veriphy — an award-winning UK AML compliance platform used across the accountancy, legal and financial services sectors — to carry out these checks quickly and securely.
Companies: details of directors, shareholders and beneficial owners (25%+)
Contacting Your Previous Accountant
Before we can formally act for you, we are required under ACCA’s Code of Ethics to obtain professional clearance from your outgoing accountant. This is standard professional practice — not a reflection on your previous firm. We handle this entirely on your behalf.
We send a professional clearance letter requesting confirmation that there is no professional reason why we should not accept the appointment, and requesting handover of all your books, records, prior year returns and HMRC correspondence.
Agent Authorisation — Acting on Your Behalf
To deal with HMRC on your behalf — submitting returns, corresponding with HMRC, making enquiries and accessing your tax account — we need to be formally authorised as your tax agent. We submit this as soon as AML checks are complete, so we can begin acting immediately.
Fully Set Up & Ready to Go
With all compliance and authorisation in place, we complete your onboarding — reviewing your historic position, mapping all upcoming deadlines, setting up software access and agreeing your ongoing service schedule.