Re: [OT] legal help

[Stephen <yahoo@xxxxxxx>]

On Thu, 4 Dec 2003 15:19:44 -0000, you wrote:

>I pay my accountant a fixed amount every month and have done since
1997. This includes everything. Now all of a sudden I get a bill from him
saying he has charged me for doing my end of year accounts and a recent
PAYE and VAT  inspection. I asked to know a reason why and  he said that my
business has expanded which it hasnt. I said at the very least you should
have warned me before doing the work so I could make a decision..
>
>I am writing a letter of compliant and wondered if anyone knew of a 
particular law I can quote to him. Or indeed is this against the law or my
rights? It certainly isn't very ethical.
>
>any help much appreciated.


My accountants played a similar trick when I was picked for a "random
check" by the IR. They quoted one figure and invoiced ten times that;
without - like you said - warning me halfway through. I complained to
The Institute of Chartered Accountants but they only wanted to protect
their own and didn't do a lot. A stern letter to the accountant did
not help either but after a shout down the phone they backed off.
Trading standards later said that if they had demanded the high
charges and I refused to pay, they would have had to go to court and
they would have been thrown out. If you have it in writing that you
will pay x each month, asking you for more is a breach of that
contract.

I suspect that it is because you have had this additional inspection
that has created more work and more cost. I understand you can get
insured to cover the cost of such random checks; does any one know
more?