My accountant lost the one quarter of VAT accounts

[tire1]

Hello,

I recently changed my accountant who (to my surprise was very un-professional) who lost all the bills of the first quarter of last financial years and my corportation tax return is due now.

What can I do?
What action can I take against the accountant?
What worst can happen to me/my business in case of lost accounts?
Should I inform HMRC right now?

Need your advise desperately.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

What does your new accountant recommend?

 

[tire1]

I do not have any new accountant yet.

 

[kevin.doran]

So you've lost the docs themselves...but surely not the workings/bookkeeping that made up the return itself?

 

[UK Contractor Accountant]

VAT Registered? If so there must be the workings for the quarter.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Apologies - you opened with 'I recently changed my accountant... '

Find another one - quickly!

 

[tire1]

Yes, its only the documents are lost. I have the workings of the VAT return of that particular quarter.

 

[UK Contractor Accountant]

Yes, its only the documents are lost. I have the workings of the VAT return of that particular quarter.

There should be no problem then in preparing the year end accounts if the workings are all there.

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

Hello,

I recently changed my accountant who (to my surprise was very un-professional) who lost all the bills of the first quarter of last financial years and my corportation tax return is due now.

What can I do?
What action can I take against the accountant?
What worst can happen to me/my business in case of lost accounts?
Should I inform HMRC right now?

Need your advise desperately.

Hi Tire

As others have said if its only the supporting invoices and receipts it's not going to prevent you completing the accounts so you aren't going to incur any late filing penalties etc but it would be good to get copies for your records from the various suppliers etc.

I dont think it would be unreasonable to ask your former accountant to cover the cost of getting the duplicates.

I dont see you need to inform HMRC of anything.

 

[STDFR33]

If you are sailing very close to the deadline to submitting your Corporation Tax Return, then you will probably have missed the deadline to file the accounts at Companies House.
I would double check what you need to file and when if you are unsure.

As others have already said, you don't need the source documents if you already have the workings for the VAT.

I would write a letter to your former accountants giving them a reasonable deadline to return the documents. Mention that if the documents are not returned, you may have to charge them the cost of obtaining copies.

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

I would write a letter to your former accountants giving them a reasonable deadline to return the documents. Mention that if the documents are not returned, you may have to charge them the cost of obtaining copies.

I agree but 'may' would be 'will'