SME Bookkeeper Responsibilities

[Adrian2]

We have an chartered accountant firm and a part time bookkeeping company who do our annual accounts and monthly/quarterly bookkeeping, essentially both paid monthly on long term retainers.

However I'm increasingly finding that the bookkeepers are not being proactive in reminding us of upcoming VAT return dates and other statutory filings etc. ahead of time. Just been slapped by HMRC for missing the MTD registration date because I thought the bookkeepers were doing this. I pay all these advisors heaps of money and kind of had the expectation that they would keep a client calendar of significant dates and remind us ahead of time, and also do required stuff like the MTD registration. After all, they do have access to all our accounting systems and HMRC account to allow these things.

Am I being unreasonable or expecting too much in expecting retained bookkeepers and accountants to be proactive re returns and other filings? What's normal / usual here in other's view?

When we come to looking around for a new bookkeeping service (they overcharge us too), does anyone have a requirements checklist or template service level agreement that sets out what bookkeeping tasks and responsibilities the average tech sector SME should reasonably be asking for?

All thoughts welcome.

 

[justintime]

Who is responsible for submitting the VAT? If it's you then certainly the bookkeeper should have notified you this was happening but I would say you were responsible for actually doing the MTD.

If it's the bookkeepers responsibility then yes, they are wholly responsible for ensuring that it was done. Certainly, for tax and paye submission, your bookkeeper or accountant is responsible for ensuring these are done, assuming that they have been supplied all the info requested in plenty of time.

As regards a checklist, personally I would just make a list of everything you require, and ask for quotes. Happy to help if you're in the Yorkshire region.

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

We have an chartered accountant firm and a part time bookkeeping company who do our annual accounts and monthly/quarterly bookkeeping, essentially both paid monthly on long term retainers.

However I'm increasingly finding that the bookkeepers are not being proactive in reminding us of upcoming VAT return dates and other statutory filings etc. ahead of time. Just been slapped by HMRC for missing the MTD registration date because I thought the bookkeepers were doing this. I pay all these advisors heaps of money and kind of had the expectation that they would keep a client calendar of significant dates and remind us ahead of time, and also do required stuff like the MTD registration. After all, they do have access to all our accounting systems and HMRC account to allow these things.

Am I being unreasonable or expecting too much in expecting retained bookkeepers and accountants to be proactive re returns and other filings? What's normal / usual here in other's view?

When we come to looking around for a new bookkeeping service (they overcharge us too), does anyone have a requirements checklist or template service level agreement that sets out what bookkeeping tasks and responsibilities the average tech sector SME should reasonably be asking for?

All thoughts welcome.

You need to make it clear what you want from your accountants and bookkeepers and ensure this is set out and agreed in writing.

That said I would have thought if your bookkeeper is responsible for bookkeeping and VAT they would be chasing/reminding you of VAT return due dates and the MTD registration.

Would it perhaps be worthwhile seeing if your accountants offer bookkeeping services. It may work out cheaper if all work is done by them.

 

[Adrian2]

Who is responsible for submitting the VAT? If it's you then certainly the bookkeeper should have notified you this was happening but I would say you were responsible for actually doing the MTD.

If it's the bookkeepers responsibility then yes, they are wholly responsible for ensuring that it was done. Certainly, for tax and paye submission, your bookkeeper or accountant is responsible for ensuring these are done, assuming that they have been supplied all the info requested in plenty of time.

As regards a checklist, personally I would just make a list of everything you require, and ask for quotes. Happy to help if you're in the Yorkshire region.

Thanks.
Yes I guess its a case of drawing up a chart of tasks and responsibilities for each involved party to sign up to.

I think the problem has arisen due to all the *new* requirements that the government keep throwing at us. Workplace Pensions, MTD and PSC returns are additional burdens that have come along long after we employed these advisors, hence any businesses' charters of who-does-what need to be reviewed and updated with every additional HMRC change and new requirement to to make it clear who is doing what around that requirement.

Sorry, we are in the City of London Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Adrian2]

You need to make it clear what you want from your accountants and bookkeepers and ensure this is set out and agreed in writing.

That said I would have thought if your bookkeeper is responsible for bookkeeping and VAT they would be chasing/reminding you of VAT return due dates and the MTD registration.

Would it perhaps be worthwhile seeing if your accountants offer bookkeeping services. It may work out cheaper if all work is done by them.

Yes, thanks.
Others have questioned why we have different accountants and bookkeepers. Its for historical and other reasons:
Our accountant is a top city firm we rely on for high end strategic advice plus year end accounts, and our designated partner there is a personal close friend for 20+ years. While they can do the bookkeeping as well, their bookkeepers tend to be offshore and I am not keen on yet more offshore outsources in my business. Hence the functions are currently separate firms / people.

Thanks for replying