Fiscal Umbrella Accountants
Switching accountants: your first ninety days without filing gaps
Switching accountants should give your limited company better advice without putting a VAT return, payroll run or year end at risk.
A handover can expose missing records, wrong returns and advice that should have arrived months ago. We check the position before anything moves.
Fiscal Umbrella helps growing limited companies switch accountants from Luton or remotely across the UK. Fasih Khan is ACCA qualified and reviews the current position, agrees a fixed fee in writing, then handles professional clearance, records and ongoing filings.
I was stuck with my R&D claim, but Fiscal Umbrella helped me navigate it smoothly. They're professional, efficient, and truly know their stuff.…Cartel Media
- Fasih Khan ACCA
- Fixed fees in writing
- Luton office
- UK-wide remote
What changes after the handover is complete
Filings continue while records move
Professional clearance and record transfers are planned around your next deadline.
The fee is settled before work starts
Your agreed services and fixed fee are written down before the handover begins.
Old decisions get checked early
Fasih reviews your VAT scheme, director pay, reliefs and anything outstanding with HMRC.
The moments that make switching worth considering
A missed conversation can become an expensive decision or a deadline nobody owns.
- Switch
“I’m chasing my fourth account manager, and nobody can tell me whether the VAT return has been filed.”
The deadline stays exposed while the same history is explained again.
- Tax bill
“My corporation tax bill arrived, and nobody had warned me what the company would owe.”
Cash set aside for a supplier or hire may suddenly be needed for tax.
- VAT
“The accounts were filed, but nobody checked whether our VAT scheme or director pay still made sense.”
The forms may be complete while the underlying decisions remain unreviewed.
- Day 90
What changes once the advice is in the room?
The tax bill is discussed before it lands. VAT and director pay are reviewed while changes can still be made. Each question has an owner.
Quick check · no email
If they can’t check your VAT scheme, tell you the tax bill before it lands and reply this week, you have the wrong accountant
Answer these three questions about the accountant looking after your company now.
Question 1 of 3
Could they tell you this week whether your VAT scheme is the right one?
Could they estimate your tax bill before the payment date arrives?
Could they reply this week and explain the next step plainly?
Those gaps can cost money or leave a filing exposed. The set-up review is the sensible next step before you decide to move.
Some basics are covered, though one important decision is still being left late. The construction example below shows why the HMRC position should be checked.
Your accountant is covering the decisions that matter. Read the guides if you want a useful benchmark before staying put.
What changes when advice arrives before filing
Good filing work matters, and advice needs to arrive before the decision is fixed.
Filing handled at year end
Accounts are prepared after the year has finished.
VAT returns follow the existing setup.
Tax is confirmed when payment is near.
Questions may pass between account managers.
Advice built into the year
Your VAT scheme is checked against how you trade.
Director pay is reviewed before the year end.
Upcoming tax is discussed before the payment date.
Fasih owns the handover and ongoing work.
What to check before the handover begins
A good switch starts with what exists now and what the next deadline needs.
- 01
Is the company already trading?
The service is for established limited companies.
- 02
Is the next filing date known?
The handover can be planned around it.
- 03
Are the bookkeeping files reasonably current?
Any missing months can be identified early.
- 04
Do you have your accountant’s contact details?
We use them for professional clearance.
- 05
Are payroll and VAT submissions up to date?
Outstanding work needs scoping before the move.
- 06
Are there unanswered HMRC letters?
Share them before the scope is agreed.
- 07
Can your software support the company now?
Any recommended change will be explained first.
- 08
Do you want advice during the year?
That is where the value of switching sits.
What we check once the records arrive
The first review covers the filings and decisions that affect what the company keeps.
Deadlines and HMRC correspondence
Year-end accounts, corporation tax, VAT, payroll and open letters are checked.
VAT and director pay
Your VAT scheme, salary, dividends and employment setup are reviewed.
Claims the last accountant missed
Relevant reliefs and specialist work are raised before the chance passes.
Entry 01
What a first meeting can uncover
Past filings can look finished while cash and errors remain buried in the HMRC portal.
What clients say
How switching accountants works across the first ninety days
The review comes first, then the written fee and handover, with filings kept moving throughout.
Find what needs attention first
After the intake quiz, Fasih reviews your VAT scheme, reliefs, director pay and anything outstanding with HMRC.
Know the fee before work starts
The agreed services and fixed fee are set out in writing once the scope is understood.
Move records without a filing gap
We contact your accountant, obtain professional clearance and request the records. The handover usually takes two to four weeks.
Get advice before the next decision
Deadlines, HMRC correspondence and upcoming tax decisions are reviewed while there is time to act.
Who the switching service is built for
We do not take on sole traders, partnerships or LLPs through this service.
Corner shops, takeaways, transport and haulage businesses are outside our focus.
Startups seeking investor introductions are not a fit.
Open HMRC enquiries need separate scoping before any work is agreed.
If none applies, the set-up review will confirm the fit before any handover begins.
What directors ask before switching accountants
What does the monthly fee include after switching accountants?
Your written proposal sets out the agreed services before work begins. Depending on your company, that can cover year-end accounts, corporation tax, VAT, bookkeeping, payroll and the director’s personal tax. Advice on your VAT scheme, director pay and relevant reliefs is included where it falls within the agreed scope.
Can I switch accountants if I already have one?
Yes. Once you accept the written proposal, Fiscal Umbrella asks your current accountant for professional clearance and the records needed to continue the work. You do not need to manage the exchange yourself. The next filing dates are checked before the records move, so the handover can be planned around them.
Do we have to move to different accounting software?
That depends on whether your current setup can support accurate filings and useful advice. Fiscal Umbrella works with Xero, QuickBooks, A2X, Hubdoc and Dext. If a change is recommended, the reason, setup and training are discussed before you agree to it. A software move is never slipped into the handover without explanation.
What happens with our current accountant when we switch?
Fiscal Umbrella contacts them, requests professional clearance and asks for the company records. Your old accountant may need your authority before releasing information. The handover is tracked against VAT, payroll, year-end and corporation tax dates. You remain informed while the accountants handle the technical exchange.
How long does switching accountants take?
A typical handover takes two to four weeks, depending on how quickly the records and professional clearance arrive. Work is planned around your existing filing dates. If a deadline is close, Fasih checks what is available first and explains what can sensibly move now and what needs to follow.
Can I switch accountants with an HMRC issue outstanding?
Yes, although the issue must be reviewed before the scope is agreed. Share any HMRC letters during the set-up review so Fasih can see the deadline and work already done. An open enquiry needs separate scoping, and free enquiry support is excluded from the switching service.
Three ways to take the next step
Check your fit for the free review
Answer a few quick questions for a personalised recommendation, and Fasih will arrange the free review if there is a fit.
Check if you fit 02 · A question firstNeed to ask Fasih something first?
Send your question and include the next filing date if one is close.
Ask Fasih a question 03 · Still decidingStill deciding whether to switch?
Read the guides for practical checks you can use with your current accountant.
Read the guides →