Once we have in-person or online meeting, and you decide to become an Inchmead Accountants client, we will send you our engagement letter. Once you sign and return this to us, you will become a client.

Generally speaking, no, we do not need to meet in person and can do most things online.

As part of our on-boarding process, we do need to meet you to comply with anti-money laundering regulations, but this can be in-person or online.

Once you are a client of the firm, meetings can be on-line if you prefer. Quite often, on-line meetings are more efficient and effective, particularly with clients who do not live or work close to our offices.

We use Skype, Teams or Zoom for online meetings. If we record meetings, we will ask your permission before we start recording.

Yes, all of our offices facilitate clients with visual, hearing or physical disabilities.

We can be your accountant regardless of where you live or work. We have an extensive client bank spread all over the UK and the world. So, working with clients who are not local to our offices is not unusual for us.

No, you don't have to live or work local to us.

This is generally quite a simple process that we manage for you. We will write to your current accountant and ask them to provide us with the information we require to take over as your accountant.

We have extensive and varied client bank, both big and small, simple and complicated. To us, there is nothing like a client that is too small, no.

Yes, our entire staff have received training in equality and diversity. They possess extensive experience, and approach situations without judgment, and excel in handling sensitive matters related to diversity, including but not limited to gender identity and other personal aspects of our clients.

Whether that is practical or efficient depends on the circumstances and the services we provide, but generally speaking the answer to that question is "yes".

Sadly, no. Arrangements that we refer to as "client share" don't work very well for us and it's not something we do, unless the accountant is your statutory auditor and only provides audit / assurance services.

Our client bank is varied, and include small sole traders, large complex groups and both simple and complex international clients and just about everything in between. Most of our clients retain us as their accountants but for the Complex Matters Team, it's not unusual to receive one-off or ad-hoc instructions.

We can help just about anyone. To see if we can help you, please book a free consultation using the button at the top of our website.

We do have a firm-wide policy not to provide services to high-risk, cash-intensive businesses nor to businesses that are located in or owned by citizens of FATF black-listed countries.

We would be delighted to be your accountant. Please book a free initial consultation by clicking on the button at the top of our website.

However, it is important to understand that regardless of who you appoint as your accountant, running a business and remaining compliant is much complicated than before and the cycle of complexity is not going to end anytime soon. We also strongly recommend that before you appoint an accountant, that you ensure they are a member of one of the following professional organisations: ICAEW, ACCA, AAT, ATT, AIA, ICB, or CIMA.

So, please don't try to do your own bookkeeping, payroll, accounts or tax unless you have the qualifications and experience to do it competently.

Generally speaking, no, we can only provide advice to clients of the firm.

However, if you are considering Inchmead Accountants to be your accountant or advisor then we are happy to give you a free consultation if you book via the button at the top of the website. During the consultation we will get a better understanding of what you require from us and how we can help. As part of that, we are more than happy give explanations but cannot provide specific advice until we are your accountants.

Yes, we do help contractors who fall within or outside IR35. We already serve hundreds of contractors in a wide range of professions.

We do not, however, provide umbrella services but we can introduce you to an umbrella company we work with and we can still be your accountants that way.

Yes, we have experts who deal with difficult cases and inquiries. One of our Partners is a former HMRC inspector and if required, we have access to specialist tax lawyers and barristers.

Accountancy and tax advise in the UK is not a regulated profession, so you do not need to be formally educated or qualified to provide most services. However, that doesn't mean you should engage the services of someone who isn't suitably qualified or experienced.

This is a brief list of credible professional organisations in the UK and we recommend you only engage with an accountant who is a member in good standing of at least one of these:

• Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)

• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)

• Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT)

• Association of Tax Technicians (ATT)

• Association of International Accountants (AIA)

• Chartered Institute of Taxation (CTA / CIOT)

• Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (ICB)

• Institute of Financial Accountants (IFA)

Don't be afraid to ask what their qualifications and experience is. Also don't be afraid to check with their qualifying body that are qualified and in good standing with them.

Yes, you certainly should care if your accountant is qualified or not. Accounting and tax matters have legal implications and in the worst case, dire consequences if something goes wrong. It may be their fault, but you face the consequences, not them. So hold yourself responsible and check before you engage with any accountant.

Yes, why wait? If you need a better or more comprehensive service from an accountant, then make the change now.

How many clients we have is a difficult question to answer because its always changing as we grow. But we have many hundreds of clients and growing.

Where they are located is an easier question to answer. We have clients the length and breadth of the UK, from Scotland to Cornwall and from Wales to Norfolk. Our experience and making good use of technology has largely dispensed with the need to be around the corner.

We also have clients in France, the Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Monaco, Dubai, India, USA, Italy and Turkey. The international footprint of our client bank is expanding as well.

Yes, there are. We do not accept engagements from:

• high-risk cash-intensive businesses

• businesses that are registered or do business in a FATF black-listed country

• individuals who are citizens of or reside in a FATF black-listed country, unless they are in an exempt professional or trade

• individuals who are on a UK-endorsed sanctions list