lost interest

[willowman]

My accountant has been very slow in forwarding a tax refund to me. Despite several phone calls, he has had the cheque for about a month. The cheque is for approx �750. How much interest have I lost in this time (roughly)?

Also, how can I get the money from him, obviously I'd rather not threaten legal action at this stage but I'm getting very frustrated.

By the way, when he eventually sends the cheque he will become my ex-accountant

[Loosehead]

One months interest on 750 at a generous say 5% is just over �3. Is there any reason he is withholding your cheque? Do you owe fees?

[willowman]

 Don't owe the man fees (I have paid him his rather large fee) BUT he does have a penchant for losing things, like the original disc with my accounts on it and my cheque book! Not helped by his working in an office that looks like a bombs hit it. The decision had been made to dispense with his services, this was the third strike and he's out.

Not really worth chasing him for lost interest, is it.

[Loosehead]

Just go to his office and demand the cheque and fire him when you get it.

[kags]

yes, I agree it's probably not worth the effort in claiming the interest. Do make sure though that he gives you back all your past books and records in case of future queries from Revenue and Customs.

[jedimistress]

I'd think you were describing my workplace but I know we don't owe anyone �750. The interest will be minimal. Is he fully staffed, open 5 days per week? It could just be a busy time.

By the way it's hard to keep a tidy office as an accountant. Like hard to keep a buidling site tidy. Papers and everything need to be sorted and counted. There's never enough space to put all your bits.

[willowman]

Thanks all for your comments. Good news- he has sent a cheque, bad news- he made it out for the pounds only and deducted the odd 83 pence. Cheek of it. This is after charging me a large amount for doing the very simple books of a sole trader and partnership. The only redeemimg feature is the fact that the tax refund is more than his fee.

jedimistress - he works by himself from an office at home. When you visit him he has piles of papers all over the place, and not even tidy piles. I have seen other peoples accounts whilst I have been with him, which is surely not on. I dont see the problem of having a file per client and putting everything in that file as it is dealt with. I fully accept that I dont know the amount of paperwork you must receive on a daily basis, so am willing to be corrected on this. As i said before, he couldn't find my cheque book once, how was he to know that some other visitor had not seen it lying about and taken it! Just very sloppy business practices.