Once you have decided to switch accountants, make sure that you have agreed on the scope of the work they will do for you and the date when their work will start as the first priority. This will let you and them know what information they will need going forward.

Once you have told your old accountant you are leaving, the two accountants should then be able to coordinate what information is needed, what deadlines are upcoming and anything else to prepare for you to start with the new accountant. 

Your new accountant will send a professional clearance request to your old accountant, and get all of the information that they need, such as payroll history, any calculations used for your accounts and anything else that is relevant to your specific accounting needs. Novabook has a dedicated onboarding team who can handle this for you.

Once you have switched, your accountant will be able to start supporting you with the agreed services. Novabook’s accountants, trained by the likes of PwC, make sure to check the historic financials when a new client is signed to identify any potential problems and work with founders to resolve them quickly and efficiently.

FAQs

How long does it take to change accountants?

• The time it takes to change accountants varies; it usually depends on how quickly your old accountant can pull together the relevant information that your new accountant needs and whether you have any deadlines coming up. Novabook usually recommends switching accountants in good time before any upcoming deadlines so that any problems can be spotted early and resolved.

Do I need to tell my accountant I am switching?

• You will need to tell your accountant that you are moving to another provider, but the important thing to remember is that you do not need their permission; they should hand over all the information you need to your new accountant and help resolve any problems that arise during the transition. Novabook’s dedicated onboarding team will help with the transition, and will communicate with your old accountant to make sure they can hit the ground running and start working with you.