Choosing an accountant starts with understanding the support your business needs. A sole trader with straightforward records, a limited company with employees and a charity with project reporting requirements may each need a different service. Write down your priorities before comparing proposals.
Describe the work you need
Separate regular tasks from occasional advice. Your list might include bookkeeping, annual accounts, tax returns, payroll and management reports. Add any immediate issue, such as overdue records or a change of accounting software.
Ask each prospective accountant to explain what is included, what information you must provide and which tasks would be charged separately. A clear written scope makes quotations easier to compare and reduces uncertainty later.
Ask how the relationship will work
Find out who will be your usual contact and how questions are handled when that person is away. Discuss the frequency of meetings and when you should expect draft figures or a response to a routine query.
Be specific about the reporting you use. If you need departmental payroll costs or a monthly view of unpaid invoices, ask to see a sample using fictional data. This shows whether the proposed service fits your decisions, rather than simply producing more reports.
Check credentials and relevant experience
Ask about professional membership, supervision and experience with work similar to yours. Check any claimed membership or specialist authorisation using the relevant body’s official directory. For overseas work, establish which adviser is responsible for each country and whether additional specialists are involved.
Explain your accounting software and how records are currently shared. Agree who will have access, how documents will be transferred and how your data will be returned if the relationship ends.
Compare the complete proposal
Look beyond the headline fee. Consider the service boundaries, the timetable, the quality of explanations and how extra work is approved. Agree a handover plan before ending an existing arrangement.
KBA provides accounting and tax support from East Ham, London. Explore our accounting services or contact us to discuss your business and the scope you need.