[Shrek]

I have a standing order set up with my accountant so I don’t owe anything at the end of the year for £52 a month. Yesterday I received an email from them saying due having a price increase , I now owe them another £95 as they have just finished my tax return.
I emailed them back asking if the price increase started from April 2023 , they replied with no it’s a price increase from April 2022???
I totally understand having price increases as I have to do them myself but back charging a customer?? Imagine turning up to one of your customers houses saying I had a price increase 15 months ago and here’s your bill ….

[Stoots]

 Not sure,I had a similar thing with my old accountant trying to charge me an extra 400 quid for the year.

When I took them on I was told the yearly fee was 600 which I paid monthly. Then year end they billed me an extra 400. They said it was because they had done additional work.

Problem was at no point did they state this when I took them on so after a back and forth of emails I cancelled their service and walked away.

They try it on I would certainly contest it

[AuRavelling79]

I would check if they had notified me BEFORE April 22.

If not I think I would contest it.

However if I depended upon them and they disagree with me I would bide my time and leave.

[capn sparkle]

I've been beta testing Googles AI for a while

Below is what Bard AI thinks


Whether or not this is legal depends on the terms of your contract with your accountant. If your contract does not specify that your accountant can increase their fees at any time, then they may be breaking the contract by charging you more than £52 per month. However, if your contract does allow for fee increases, then your accountant is within their rights to charge you more.

If you are not sure whether or not your contract allows for fee increases, you should contact your accountant and ask them to clarify. You may also want to consider switching to a different accountant if you are not happy with the price increase.

Here are some things you can do:

Check your contract. Your contract should specify the terms of your relationship with your accountant, including the fees that they charge. If your contract does not specify that your accountant can increase their fees at any time, then they may be breaking the contract by charging you more than £52 per month.
Contact your accountant. If you are not sure whether or not your contract allows for fee increases, you should contact your accountant and ask them to clarify.
Switch to a different accountant. If you are not happy with the price increase, you may want to consider switching to a different accountant. There are many accountants out there who offer competitive rates.
It is important to note that you may have to pay a fee to switch accountants. This is because your old accountant may charge you for the time they spent working on your file. However, this fee is usually much less than the amount you would save by switching to a more affordable accountant.

Hmmm!
I'd be on the blower to the accountants then depending on their answer go from there

[Shrek]

Cheers guys , they notified me yesterday that the price went up in April 2022

[Ched]

If they can't even manage to notify their customers of a price change 14 months ago then are they actually any good as accountants? i.e. do they keep up with changes in legislation?

[AuRavelling79]

I've been beta testing Googles AI for a while

Below is what Bard AI thinks


Whether or not this is legal depends on the terms of your contract with your accountant. If your contract does not specify that your accountant can increase their fees at any time, then they may be breaking the contract by charging you more than £52 per month. However, if your contract does allow for fee increases, then your accountant is within their rights to charge you more.

If you are not sure whether or not your contract allows for fee increases, you should contact your accountant and ask them to clarify. You may also want to consider switching to a different accountant if you are not happy with the price increase.

Here are some things you can do:

Check your contract. Your contract should specify the terms of your relationship with your accountant, including the fees that they charge. If your contract does not specify that your accountant can increase their fees at any time, then they may be breaking the contract by charging you more than £52 per month.
Contact your accountant. If you are not sure whether or not your contract allows for fee increases, you should contact your accountant and ask them to clarify.
Switch to a different accountant. If you are not happy with the price increase, you may want to consider switching to a different accountant. There are many accountants out there who offer competitive rates.
It is important to note that you may have to pay a fee to switch accountants. This is because your old accountant may charge you for the time they spent working on your file. However, this fee is usually much less than the amount you would save by switching to a more affordable accountant.

Hmmm!
I'd be on the blower to the accountants then depending on their answer go from there

I said much the same, but more succinctly. 

[Bungle]

I have a standing order set up with my accountant so I don’t owe anything at the end of the year for £52 a month. Yesterday I received an email from them saying due having a price increase , I now owe them another £95 as they have just finished my tax return.
I emailed them back asking if the price increase started from April 2023 , they replied with no it’s a price increase from April 2022???
I totally understand having price increases as I have to do them myself but back charging a customer?? Imagine turning up to one of your customers houses saying I had a price increase 15 months ago and here’s your bill ….

I had the audacity to charge one of my customers an extra fiver for cleaning her porch last week. God knows what she would have thought if I decided to up her normal window clean and backdate it. It seems the big companies can get away with murder while us plebs get beaten with a stick.

On topic, my accountant hasn't put his price up this year.