Passing costs on to clients

[Donna M]

Just a quickie for the bookkeepers.

Do you pass any costs on to your clients i.e. postage, stationery etc, and in what circumstances?

Thanks in advance.

Donna

[dp0848]

I quote my clients an hourly fee and this includes everything. I don't invoice stationery, postage etc as extras.

[Donna M]

Wouldn't dream of charging clients in normal circumstances, but how about this scenario:

Your client is unable to pick their files up & you are unable to drop them off. Therefore, you have to send them by special delivery (which costs a fortune!!!). Would you charge your client?

Haven't come across this, just curious.

[MH1]

If you haven't sent them yet stick them in one large box and £6.99 through a DHL agent for up to 30kgs.

If they have requested yous end them then simply charge for the service, they surely do not expect you to do it for nothing?

[Donna M]

Thanks MH1

As I said before, I was just curious.

Just wondered if it would be reasonable to charge for such things in unusual circumstances.

Getting ahead of myself I think. :)

[ExpandOnline]

It depends what you agree with your client from the outset really.

I would say that if it is your normal practice for the client to collect, then they should pay the carriage.

However, if it is your normal practice for you to deliver by hand, then you should pay the carriage.

In either case, make sure you agree in your contract what is expected.

Peter

[SK Virtual Assistant]

Hi Donna

In this situation I would charge for the costs of the courier. I don't normally charge additional for postage or stationery but I do specify in my T&Cs that if a client wishes me to use a courier, they will bear the courier costs.

[Phil@PP]

I find that nothing annoys clients more than receiving additional charges for small disbursements, our firm works on a fixed fee basis and this includes all costs, whether they be time, postage, travel or whatever. I would think very carefully about charging a thousand pound a year client £6.99 for a courier fee, you have a lot more to lose than gain.

Regards