Can anyone please advise what the average hourly rate is for providing a basic book-keeping service. I'm just setting up on a freelance basis and I'm not sure how much to charge?
The current market rate for book-keepers is in the region of £15 to £25 per hour. The rate will be dependent on factors such as your experience, region i.e. south east will be towards the high end, and of course, the scope of the engagement.
At the end of the day it is up to you what you want to charge, and it's up to prospective clients whether they are willing to pay it!
Thanks for the input. I've already obtained one client who I'll be billing on a hourly basis at £20 per hour. He thought it was dead cheap coz his accountant wanted £40 per hour to do his books (which are very simple). So I'll think I'll stick to this rate initially and see how I go!
i agree that is the ballpark though I think you can adjust the range depending upon who the client is. I used to charge a lot less to some people with the hope they would refer me to others. The problem was that they discussed the rates with their friends and everyone wanted the lower rate.
Low-balling your rate can be a good way to attract new clients, but you don't want your rates to fall too far below the local average. If you're too cheap, clients may wonder if your work can really be any good.
