Switching accountants, step by step
Most people put off switching because they fear losing something along the way. In practice a clean handover takes a few days and does not interrupt your business.
People stay with the wrong accountant far longer than they should, and almost never out of loyalty. The reason is fear: that documents will be lost, that something will be left unresolved, that the new accountant will find problems they will have to pay for.
The fear is understandable, but a handover is a routine procedure. Here is what it looks like.
1. See what you have before you tell anyone
Make a short list: where the company's documents are, who holds them, what you can access directly. It does not need to be exhaustive. The point is to know your starting position.
2. Ask for an assessment, not a quote
Before any decision, ask the new accountant to look at the current state and tell you honestly what they find. An honest assessment tells you both whether the change is worth it and how much work the handover involves.
If someone quotes a price having seen nothing, that price will change.
3. Pick the moment
Some points in the year are better than others for a transfer. You do not need to know which; ask. An accountant who says “anytime, it makes no difference” either does not want to discourage you or has not thought about it.
4. End it properly, in writing
The relationship with the current accountant ends formally. A written message, polite and clear, with the end date and a request to hand over the documents. No long explanations and no recriminations needed.
5. The handover itself
This is where things usually stall. Ask for a complete list of what is being handed over and check it on arrival. If something is missing, ask in writing, once, with a deadline.
- Accounting records for closed periods.
- Filings and statements already submitted.
- Credentials that belong to the company, not to a person.
- Any correspondence with the authorities.
6. The first month with the new accountant
This is the month where what needs fixing gets fixed and the working pattern is set: how you send documents, when you get your report, who you call. Spend a little time on it now so you are not back here in a year.
What should not happen
You should not be left without access to your own documents, you should not be made to choose between paying something you do not owe and getting your file back, and you should not learn about problems only after signing with someone else. If it happens, tell us — we have seen it before.
