Engagement Letter and Terms and Conditions
At Heartwood Accountants we are committed to keeping things simple in everything we do. To make sure you are clear about what we offer and how our relationship works, we’ve tried to keep our Terms and Conditions as simple as possible.
Our contract with you is based on these terms and conditions, so please ensure that you read them carefully. If you have any queries about what these terms and conditions mean please contact us. These terms become binding when we receive payment for the services you order, or when you begin using any of our services. If for any reason we can’t supply you with our service, we will inform you and not process your order.
This page was last updated on 19 August 2015
1. Definitions
1.1 “We”, “us” and “our” refer to Heartwood Accountants Ltd. We are registered in England and Wales under company number 13635548 and have our registered office at 3 Place Farm, Wheathampstead, St. Albans, England, AL4 8SB. Our main trading address is 3 Place Farm, Wheathampstead, St. Albans, England, AL4 8SB. Our VAT number is 393304888.
1.2 “You” and “your” refer to you or anyone else using our services.
1.3 “Order” is your order for our services. “Services” are the services that we are providing to you as set out below in section two. “Terms” are the terms and conditions set out in this document.
1.4 “Written” or “in writing” refers to either letter or email.
2. Our services
Self Assessment Tax Return Service
2.1 We will prepare your self-assessment tax returns together with any supplementary pages required from the information you’ve given us. After obtaining your approval and confirmation that you have signed the declaration on the return, we will submit your returns to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
2.2 We will calculate your tax liabilities for income tax, national insurance contributions (NIC) and capital gains tax and tell you how much you should pay and when.
Accounts Preparation a Corporation Tax Return Service
2.3 We will prepare you’re abbreviated and full accounts from the information you’ve given us. After obtaining your approval and confirmation that you have signed the account, we will submit your accounts to Companies House and HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
2.4 We will calculate your tax liabilities for corporation tax, and tell you how much you should pay and when. After obtaining your approval and confirmation that you have signed the accounts, we will submit your Corporation Tax Return to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
Other Services
2.5 We also provide other taxation and advisory services you may request. Some of these services are listed below:
a) Preparing any amended return or accounts which may be required and corresponding with HMRC as necessary.
b) Dealing with any enquiry opened into your tax return by HMRC
c) Advising on interest, penalties and surcharges if tax or NIC is paid late.
d) Administering a payroll for your company
e) Preparing VAT returns for your company
f) Company Secretarial services including filings to Companies House and maintaining your registered office.
g) Company Formations
3. Our fees
3.1 We will ask for an advance payment of 100% of the price of all services you order unless we agree to take our fee from your tax refund. Fees for our services are set out in our price guide www.heartwood-accountants.co.uk/price-guide. Prices are exclusive of VAT. Payments are non-refundable.
3.2 For any services that aren’t listed in our price guide we’ll provide you with a fixed fee quote in advance of commencing any work. Where we do not have a set price for a service we will estimate the amount of time needed for the work and agree a fee with you in advance of commencing work based on our charge out rate which is currently £40 plus VAT per 30 minutes. The minimum charge for additional services will be for 30 minutes of our time.
3.3 Where we take our fee from your refund you authorise us to receive payment of all sums relating to your tax refund claimed by us on your behalf. We’ll deduct our fees from the sums received and promptly send the balance to you.
3.4 Should your refund not cover the entirety of our fee you must pay the remainder of our fee. Where HMRC send a refund directly to you without our agreement you must pay our fee. We will take all legal and necessary action to retrieve fees owed to us.
3.5 Our prices may change, but price changes will not affect orders we have already confirmed with you.
3.6 We reserve the right to cancel the contract for the services at any time. If you have made any payment in advance for services that have not been provided to you, we will refund these amounts to you in full.
4. Your responsibilities
4.1 You are responsible for:
a. Ensuring that your self assessment tax returns and/ or company accounts are accurate and complete.
b. Reviewing and approving your self assessment tax returns and /or company accounts before we submit to HMRC.
c. Ensuring all information provided to us is true, accurate and complete.
d. Keeping full and accurate records in accordance with HMRC guidance.
e. Making payment of tax on time. Failure to do this may lead to automatic penalties, surcharges and /or interest.
5. If something goes wrong
5.1 We will make every effort to complete the services you order by the estimated completion date we provide. However, there may be delays due to an event outside our control. In this case, our obligations under the terms will be suspended. We will contact you as soon as reasonably possible to notify you and if necessary, as soon as reasonably possible restart or complete the services.
5.2 If after being asked, you don’t provide the necessary or complete information needed for our service, we may suspend our work with you. In this instance, we will not be liable for any delay or non-performance.
5.3 If there is a change in the law or in your circumstances, we will not accept responsibility if you act on advice given by us on an earlier occasion without first confirming with us that the advice is still valid. We will accept no liability for losses arising from changes in the law or the interpretation thereof that are first published after the date on which the advice is given.
5.4 If for whatever reason you wish to make a complaint, please contact us as soon as possible in writing. We will send a formal, written, response within a 20 working days of receiving your complaint.
6. Your privacy
6.1 We agree to ensure that all information received from you will be treated as private and confidential. Any personal data you provide to us will only be used to carry out our Services. We agree to store all data securely in accordance with current legislation. We are registered for Data Protection (Registration Number: ZA044955)
6.2 We will share your information with HMRC and Companies House as required. As part of our ongoing commitment to providing a quality service, some of our files are periodically subject to an independent quality review. Our reviewers are highly experienced and professional people and, of course, are bound by the same requirements for confidentiality as our staff.
6.3 We reserve the right to record and monitor some telephone calls, emails and other electronic communication.
6.4 We agree to ensure that all information received from you will be treated as private and confidential and will not be submitted to any third parties without your prior agreement with the exception of HMRC, Companies House and our dedicated reviews partner who gathers feedback on our service from our clients on our behalf.
6.5 We are registered under the UK’s Money Laundering Regulations (no. 12804968). The legislation requires us to check your identity and keep evidence that we have done so. We at first try to verify your identity and your address electronically. If we are unable to do so we will ask you to provide us with photographic ID and a proof of address so that we can provide the Services which this legislation applies to.
6.4 We are fully committed to keeping your card details safe and are fully compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard – PCI DSS (Merchant ID 882529).
7. Legalities
7.1 This contract is between you and us. No other person shall have any rights to enforce any of its terms.
7.2 We reserve the right to transfer our rights and obligations under these terms to another organisation, and we will always notify you in writing if this happens. This would not affect your rights or our obligations under these terms. You may only transfer your rights or your obligations under these terms to another person if we agree in writing.
7.3 We will only waive our rights in writing. Any delay, or failure to insist that you fulfil your responsibilities does not mean we have waived our rights against you and will not mean that you do not have to comply with those obligations.
7.4 Each of the paragraphs of these terms operates separately. If any court or relevant authority decides that any of them are unlawful, the remaining paragraphs will remain in full force and effect.
7.5 These terms are governed by English law. We both agree to submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.
8. Contact us
8.1 If you have any questions or if you have any complaints, please contact us via:
phone: 01582 834850
email: bernadette@heartwood-accountants.co.uk
in writing: Heartwood Accountants Ltd. 3 Place Farm, Wheathampstead, St. Albans, England, AL4 8SB.
