Previous accountant won't return files

flowerific

My previous accountant was useless and so I fired him at the start of this year. He has not handed over all my files to my new accountant who is doing my income tax for 2016.

He is with holding cheque Stubbs, copies of leases and loans and my paper work and figures for hire work that I've done. He is claiming he gave everything he had to the new accountant. He has not. I know I gave him all these as he also needed some of them for the VAT3. He was paid in full. In fact he gave me a final invoice reminder in August 2017 and when I confirmed that I already said that I no longer require his services he added another 1800eur to the so called Final bill claiming that he hasn't charged this that and the other for previous years. We agreed on a settlement figure and I laid and stated he was to hand over all my files to the new accountant. My Form11 2016 can't be completed as the information is missing.

Does anyone know a phone number that I can ring to make a complaint and try and fast track the complaint
I will be making a formal written complaint to the financial reqlgulators, but need to get some thing done straight away to get the 2016 files completed.

mikeysmith

Have you tried doorstepping him

Might be a quick solution

flowerific

He's never there if you ring him. His secretary always answer the phone and I've called into him twice

mikeysmith

ring local revenue anyway and let them know in the meantime

flowerific

Thanks, yeah I let revenue know over 2 weeks ago

Jim2007

There is no reason for him to hold on to your stuff, if you have already settled your bill, so if he is saying he has not got your stuff then I don't see what good a complaint is going to do, he is simply going to point out that he can't give you what he has not got! And in reality you have no idea where it went missing, it could just as easily have been lost in the new office.

Are you sure the new guy has not got the stuff? If it were me I'd arrange a meeting with the new guy and go over the stuff myself. It would not be the first time a new guy did not know what he was looking for.

flowerific

I'm 110% positive that the new guy does not have the stuff and positive that the old guy received all the stuff to begin with.
I couldn't see the reason why he added 1800eur onto my bill when I told him I was not using his services either but he still did even though he already sent me a final statement reminder two months previously less the 1800eur. The guy was hopeless

Jim2007

flowerific wrote: »

I'm 110% positive that the new guy does not have the stuff and positive that the old guy received all the stuff to begin with.

Well the problem is that you can be positive unless you actually check or saw the new guy unpack the stuff. And a complaint will go no where without physical proof and even then it is not going to happen in a short period.

You have got a limited time to sort it out so you need to see if you can get copy documents and if the new guy can recalculate the missing figures etc...

flowerific

My question isn't who has the stuff as I already know that the new guy has NOT got them as I only just got him a few weeks ago and yes of course I was there and went through what he was given and not given hence my post. I have already tried to do the missing figures without the original paperwork and to no avail as need the cheque stubbs etc. I'm looking to see if anyone has any phone numbers for me to ring as there does not seem to be any one direct department that deals with this sort of thing

Jarren

I had very same situation about 2 years ago, all payments up to date and and then massive bill was added, he wouldn't release the files unless paid. I threatened him with revenue, solicitors, accounting body and a few days after I got a call to collect the files from his office(free of charge).

dbran

Is the old accountant a member of any of the accountancy bodies ACCA, ACA,CPA etc

dbran

daheff

dbran wrote: »

Is the old accountant a member of any of the accountancy bodies ACCA, ACA,CPA etc

you would certainly hope so!


Make a complaint to this body immediately.

also threaten legal action.

flowerific

I'm trying to find out now what if any accountancy bodies he is a member of. I got landed with him as part of a transferd family business as he had been doing the books for the business all along. Never found him any Good, but with me working 70plus hours a week and im not in the same town as the accountant. I just never had the chance to look this through.

sowdublin

flowerific wrote: »

I'm trying to find out now what if any accountancy bodies he is a member of. I got landed with him as part of a transferd family business as he had been doing the books for the business all along. Never found him any Good, but with me working 70plus hours a week and im not in the same town as the accountant. I just never had the chance to look this through.

He might have a linkedin profile or something through which you can find out what professional body he is a member of.

All professional bodies ACCA, ACA and the likes take these sort of complaints seriously.

flowerific

I can't find him on Linkedin, or internet. His secretary can't tell me and just said I'd have to make an appointment to see him. I'll have to ring the accountancy bodies an see if he's registered with them.

Chevy RV

Look at his fee Invoices to you.... it would usually state their qualifications on there ACA, ACCA , CPA etc. You can then check the register if he is an ACCA qualified accountant and take your complaint from there.


Regards,

Chevy RV

flowerific

Thanks Chevy. I checked already an all he has on his invoices Are his phone and fax number. No VAT no or registered qualifications. I rang his secretary and asked if he was registered and she couldn't tell me. I've heard from other locals that he was never qualified and gets someone else to sign off on accounts. I was hoping to email him a strongly worded letter and c.c in my revenue case worker. But he has no email and word also has it that he doesn't really use a computer. After contacting him again he gave me back cheque Stubbs etc but they were for 2012 to 2015. Although the last 3 entries on one of my contract sales order book had sales for September 2016. Proof that had him over stuff for 2016. He needed all of 2016 files in order to complete the VAT returns and I gave him all the paperwork. I'm now going to make a complaint to the financial ombudsmen about him. Any more advise is much appreciated.