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Looks like I'm pulling the plug on my dalliance back into the world of permanent employment, and jumping back into the warm, blue, Annual Personal Development Review-free waters of contractordom.
In my previous contractor incarnation I used SJD, but to be honest their service was slipping and their fees were rising, so I'm going to look elsewhere this time around. Any recommendations? There seem to be a number of online platforms these days (like Crunch for example), any of them any good?
I'd look into a local company rather than an on-line thing (I am an accountant but work for a large organisation.) Get a few quotes and see how that compares.
Do you really need an accountant ?
Depends how tax avoiding you want to be IMO. ie a good accountant will help you avoid more tax.
Money grabbing & Tax avoidance in the same thread?
22 pages, 3 flounces and a whole bucket of sick.
It's not hard to do your own filing, that reminds me, I need to help my lad do his own, he set his own media company up for 'the future', but still has to file accounts. Currently at a loss as he's been buying camera equipment !
Used SJD for a couple of years. Still having problems now as a result of using them.
I now use a local accountant, so much easier. He has been in business for a good few years, I've met him and he is knowledgeable about his industry. My experience with SJD was the total opposite, difficult to get hold of on the phone, almost impossible to get them to confirm if submissions had been made on time, different people managing my account.
Local accountant is really helpful, offers advise on how best to operate and ensure I am paying appropriate amount of tax.
Used SJD for a couple of years. Still having problems now as a result of using them.
After a few years with SJD and feeling it was a bit expensive I happened to bin the company and return to a brolly. The high staff turnover at SJD has meant some pretty important stuff has slipped through the cracks and it's causing me grief now.
If I were to return to the Ltd route I'd give Dolan a try as they're twinned with my brolly and I quite like their efficiency. Well, now that the new portal is running properly - they lost it for a couple of weeks, but seem to be back to a decent standard now.
Wife uses http://www.no-worries.co.uk/ for her limited company and is happy with them - they're kiwis mostly serving antipodean contractors over here. Proper service where you can talk to someone if needed but they use one of the online platforms so can do everything mundane (invoicing, expenses, etc) via website or via mobile app.
Yup - another one (no longer contracting) who has had a less than ideal experience with SJD. Painfully poor handling of routine stuff so don't be tempted to go back to them!
Not IT but I use Advance Accounting. They're pretty hands-on for what I assume is a cubicle farm. Monthly finance health checks, personal and Ltd Co. tax affairs, and access to FreeAgent online accounting software which I find an absolute godsend compared to folders and folders of receipts and invoices and expense forms, etc.
Dolan Accountancy was set up by Simon J Dolan, the man behind the well-known brand SJD Accountancy. After selling SJD in 2014,
A-ha - poss. not a coincidence.
Taken from:
https://www.dolanaccountancy.com/why-dolan-accountancy/
I've just jumped from 20 odd years as a permie into a contractor role and have used Aardvark as they seem to be well regarded and are also relatively cheap!
So far so good, but a few annoyances such as me answering 3 questions in an email and they reply asking me to confirm the answer to 1 of the 3 questions they had just received the answers for in a bulleted list! This happened a few times where they had missed part of my response.
They seem to use a generic email address which gets picked up by the whole (small) team so you get a faster response but not necessarily speaking to the same person each time. Seems to work OK but still early days for me.
They provide Freeagent as part of the package and I have to say it is really simple and easy to use so definitely look at what technology each company are offering. My mate uses a local company but they just use Excel spreadsheets for everything which seems to eat up a lot of his time...
Been with SJD for over ten years. I too think that they have gone down hill a lot and their prices risen way too fast.
So looking to change some time soon, problem is there never seems like an easy time to change.
I’ve just dumped Crunch. Ltd co accounts of my type don’t need to be compiled by an accountant, I’m using FreeAgent for the practical bits (payroll, invoicing, vat etc.) and I’m going to buy tax advice when I think I need it.
Has anyone used JSA Group? I suddenly need to set up a ltd company urgently for a new contract job and they're the ones my recruiter works with (ie gets commission of course!)
I used Champion for many years.
Giant before that but slow payers so dumped them.
I was a contractor from 2015 until earlier this year. I used Paystream, seem to be pretty good. Just winding up my business now as I’m back in permanent employment