subject: What If I Am Not Happy With My Accountant? [print this page] This is a difficult oneThis is a difficult one. The most important thing is that you should not sit on your hands and do nothing. Your accountant is a professional providing a service. You pay to get that service. If that service is not up to standard then you should do something.
I suppose the first port of call is to speak to your accountant. If you think the service is slipping then a word in their ear may bring things back into line. There might be an isolated, short term reason for the problem one you can live with once you know about it.
If, on the other hand things have gone badly wrong then there are other options.
If there is just a bad relationship between the two of you (and I think this relationship is very important) then maybe you should leave. Why give money to someone you dont like or, worse, dont trust?
If the accountant has behaved unprofessionally then you may be able to make a complaint to their professional body. For example: The Institute of Chartered Accountants. But be warned professional bodies live on the subscriptions from their members and can be defensive of them. Make sure of your facts and see how much proof you have of the advice or action involved.
If you have lost a lot of money then you could consider going to law. Beware this can be very expensive. Most full-time accountants have professional insurance against clients suing them. This will pay for their defence, but should mean that if you win you will actually receive the compensation awarded to you, not just a court award on paper.
Suing a professional is not easy. Firstly you need to be able to prove that you have lost money, and secondly you need to be able to prove that it was on the basis of the advice given, or work done, by that professional. Thirdly you will probably need at least a solicitor, and probably some other accountant who will act as an expert witness.
If you are thinking of suing an accountant seek immediate legal advice before going any further. If you decide to stop short of legal action then at the least you should consider finding yourself a new accountant.
