Accountant for new small business?

[Stoichkov]

Hey,

Have any NSC'ers got any good info on accountants in the B&H area for a new small business? I need to get myself one and was wondering if anyone had any good recommendations etc? It would be for a small partnership with a modest turnover.

How do accountants charge? Is it an hourly rate? Do they do fixed price jobs eg 'VAT registration'?

Any info appreciated!

 

[ofco8]

Have used Derrick Nunn, in Hove, for past 20 years for my small business. Does a great job and reasonable charges

 

[SussexHoop]

I use Clark Brownscombe in The Drive and would recommend them.

 

[Rowdey]

Christopher Lunn and Co - excellent personal care, although i've never met him or any of his team (I live in London, they in Uckfield)

http://www.christopherlunnandco.co.uk/

 

[Beach Hut]

Last time I paid an accountant to do a tax return they fecked it up so if you want something done properly do it yourself.

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

There's all sorts out there and that includes a fair amount who will charge a fortune and have just about as much tax knowledge as you may have.

I've not had to use one but i've come across a few and I suppose it's the dodgy ones that I get to hear about.

You've done the best thing in angling fora personal recomendation. Remember that if it's for your personal SA then the deadline for 2008/09 is 31/01/2010 and accountants will be pretty busy right now. maybe worth registering with HMI to do it online yourself just in case.

If you are not affected by the 31/01 deadline then may be worth finding an accountant after that date.

 

[Chicken Runner61]

Look online - I saw an on line accountant/book keeper that got you to enter everything as you went gave you support all the way through and then you pressed a button to get your yearly accounts!!

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Christopher Lunn and Co - excellent personal care, although i've never met him or any of his team (I live in London, they in Uckfield)

http://www.christopherlunnandco.co.uk/

I'll recommend these chaps as well, stand up group of people.

 

[The Large One]

I used Clamp Boxall for my stuff.

Gary Clamp is a good bloke.

 

[Fef]

There's a bunch of accountants on the Friends of the Seagulls website.
Friends of the Albion

 

[BensGrandad]

Adam Virgos's Shirt is a bookkeeper who may be able to point you in the right direction.

I have always found that the more of the basic stuff you can do your self will obviously reduce your bill. In the pubs we had many invoices etc and 1 man I knew put them all in a carrier bag and got charged the earth for a 16 year old to sort them out. Something he could have done himself with no effort. That made me decide to list them etc on Excel.

 

[xenophon]

Lucraft Hodgson & Dawes, 19 New Road. Very good, been with them 10 years.

http://www.lucrafts.co.uk/

 

[Rowdey]

Lucraft Hodgson & Dawes, 19 New Road. Very good, been with them 10 years.

http://www.lucrafts.co.uk/

Maurice Dawes used to do my accounts years ago, bloody nice fella, and super sharp. He used to sit with a couple of large stopclocks on his desk, just to be exact on his times for each client..and woe betide you if he found you'd taken a car home for the weekend for non work purposes..'That will have to go on your P11D David...'

 

[Adam Virgo's Shirt]

Adam Virgos's Shirt is a bookkeeper who may be able to point you in the right direction.

I have always found that the more of the basic stuff you can do your self will obviously reduce your bill. In the pubs we had many invoices etc and 1 man I knew put them all in a carrier bag and got charged the earth for a 16 year old to sort them out. Something he could have done himself with no effort. That made me decide to list them etc on Excel.

Cheers BG

My advice is to try and split your bookkeeping away from your accounts for the cheapest annual outlay. As BG said, I am a fully qualified Bookkeeper, and I take care of all the detail for my clients (recording the information that the Accountant needs to prepare your final accounts and SA's) and the Accountant only does the actual Accountancy stuff. As BG said in his post, many Accountancy firms send in a trainee to deal with your detail, but charge them out at qualified rates. You will often find you can source a Qualified Bookkeeper for less than the firm will charge out

I work with Spofforths in Brighton. I enter all the info into a computer program, and send them the data file so no duplication of entry. PM me if you want my help. As already said above though, if you need a full year of Accounts doing for Jan 31st deadline, you are cutting it fine, but at this stage in time it is still doable, so don't delay too much

 

[Publius Ovidius]

Wilson Sandford in Hove.

 

[Ding Dong !]

David Still at Bristow Still in Hove has been my accountant for the past 5 years. Found him/them to be very good and reasonably priced.

 

[Publius Ovidius]

David Still at Bristow Still in Hove has been my accountant for the past 5 years. Found him/them to be very good and reasonably priced.

Blimey there is a name from the past.

Originally the firm was Wilson Bristow up North Street and dave came on board at the time the partnership went it separate ways. Robin Wilson and Tony Sandford created Wilson sandford in Church Street and Bristow Still ramained in North Street.

Rool and I worked for Robin Wilson

woooohoo.....the memory still works

 

[Ding Dong !]

Hey,


How do accountants charge? Is it an hourly rate? Do they do fixed price jobs eg 'VAT registration'?

Any info appreciated!

Just one thing I picked up, do you need to be VAT registered ? Think the threshold is currently around 63K per year turnover. I only say this because I choose not to be VAT registered at the moment because I keep my turnover under the that threshold. What it does give me is when I am quoting a price for my work against someone who is VAT registered I generally get the work because the consumer is paying less, and with money being so tight for many people at the moment every little saving helps them.

Obviously the time will come when I have no choice but to register for VAT but works well for me at the moment.

Just a thought.

 

[ILOVEBHA]

Just like to promote ourselves we are a small firm of chartered accountants in Shoreham so if anyone needs anything done please get in touch especially with the TAX Return deadline looming.....
We are also Tax specialists so dont pay too much tax get in touch

 

[Bad Ash]

Obviously the time will come when I have no choice but to register for VAT but works well for me at the moment.

Just a thought.

Once you approach the threshold, is there anything to stop you creating a new company to split your turnover between?