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Jul 14 2011

Where do all the letters go…?

category: Uncategorized author: clive

Has anyone else noticed how inept and incompetent is HM Revenue and Customs when it comes to dealing with simple and routine correspondence?

Most of the time, when we send letters to HMRC, we do so in the high expectation of not receiving a reply and then, when we telephone to chase up, we are invariably met with the old standard “we have not received that letter” or “we have no record of that letter on file”.

Where do all these letters go? They always seem to receive the envelopes with cheques in so why do the others so mysteriously go astray? We have all I’m sure heard anecdotes of there being vast rooms of unopened (and thus, unsurprisingly unanswered) post and I can only suppose these stories to be true!

The Revenue has become increasingly difficult, in fact almost at times impossible, to deal with and a complete overhaul of the entire organisation is long overdue!!

May 12 2011

Outside the box…

category: Accountancy author: clive

We had an excellent and productive meeting with a relatively new client yesterday and the “business end” of the meeting went very well in terms of reviewing the annual accounts and tax liabilities.

As we usually do, we then steered the meeting towards more general planning and discussion of the future strategy for the business in terms of increasing efficiency, maximising sales and the marketing plan for securing new business. Some people might consider this to be “outside the box” thinking (dreadful management speak!) for accountants but for us it is fairly routine. One simple adjustment to the client’s advertising and marketing plan came out of our discussions which looks very promising for the future and we shall keep it under review.

Meetings with accountants shouldn’t be just about the numbers – without proper business plans and strategies there may not be any numbers to talk about!

May 10 2011

Cheap isn’t always good…

category: Tips author: clive

My firm lost a client yesterday, most unusually for us on grounds of cost! After more than ten years of good service, and with a nice personal relationship built up due to our mutual interests of music and sport, the client dumped us unceremoniously without warning and went to a cheaper alternative. To be beaten on price was some achievement for us, given that we are noted for our very reasonable fee structure.

Irritating though that is, it has to be accepted that there will always be someone who will under cut but is it necessarily a good idea to go for a quick short term financial gain, possibly at the expense of something else? Having researched the new agent, I have found that he is a cheap and cheerful one man band franchise operation – nothing wrong with that of course but he is unlikely to have the full resources and technical knowledge of a professional Practice, thus something has to go and it is usually service that suffers.

At home, I use the services of an excellent electrician who may not necessarily be the cheapest; I also have a superb painter and decorator who is definitely not the cheapest but I wouldn’t change either of those two guys. Their work is outstandingly good and I would rather have their quality of work than a lesser job for less money. I have total confidence in what they do and that counts for me more than saving a few pounds.

Apr 07 2011

HMRC penalties

category: Tips author: clive

HM Revenue and Customs is continuing on its path of penalising taxpayers ( or “customers” as HMRC euphemistically calls us, as if we as “customers” have the choice to take our “custom” to another HMRC if we are not happy with our “service”). As has been the custom in recent years, the construction industry is once again to be singled out for special “treatment” (on the basis that they are a soft and easy target presumably) but this time most Self Assessment taxpayers find themselves in the firing line. Continue reading “HMRC penalties” »

Apr 01 2011

2011 Budget

category: Vernon Associates author: clive

It would have been nice to have been able to report that the 2011 Budget was the most innovative and imaginitive in decades but sadly that is not possible. Continue reading “2011 Budget” »

Mar 29 2011

Definitions of an accountant

category: Jokes and the lighter side author: clive

First up:-

“Someone who solves a problem which you didn’t know you had in a way you don’t understand”

Or:-

“Someone who states the bleedin’ obvious which is no use to anyone”

Or, for an auditor:-

“Someone who arrives after the battle is over and bayonets the wounded”

Mar 29 2011

An accountant’s empathy…

category: Jokes and the lighter side author: clive

An accountant was walking along a city street when he encountered a beggar sitting on the pavement.

“Spare us a few pounds guv’nor” said the beggar “I ‘aven’t eaten a thing in more than a week!”

“Mmm” replied the accountant “That’s very interesting…how does that compare with the corresponding period last year?”

Mar 18 2011

Ten top tips for choosing an accountant

category: Tips author: admin

Mar 10 2011

Accountants’ Fees

category: Accountancy,Fees,Vernon Associates author: admin

Of all the various types of professional fees, it must be those raised by accountants which are most often challenged and disputed. This has always been surprising to me and seems to be at complete odds with most people’s views on, say, solicitors’ fees for example.
Continue reading “Accountants’ Fees” »