Sorry to hijack this topic from 2009 but I can't work out how to post on the forum (although I have done it before).

Probably because I am very upset and can't think straight after the nasty email I've just had.

Had a client for over a year for whom I did 1 day a week using MYOB but was far from happy as the man was a real bully (he often had the other girl working for him in tears and she left on the advice of her doctor).  He would for instance tell me off for using my initiative and then, the next time say, "can't you use your own nous for once" if I asked how he wanted something done.   He spoke to me as if I was a moron and yet he was barely literate.   Total control freak; he'd had no bookkeeping training but had been doing the books - not very well - in the past but still kept interferring in how I was handling them.  I should add that I am a trained bookkeeper with several decades of experience behind me. Although he finally accepted I knew what I was doing but I had the uncomfortable feeling he wouldn't let me go so easily.  I was right.

 I was then recommended to sort out another company's accounts on Paprika, in which I had trained and used for a few years so told him I would have to leave back in Feb.  At his request, I kept on for until May in order to do the latest VAT Return for him - but also doing 2 or 3 weeks in one as I couldn't make each week.  He would expect me to catch up each time and would keep saying, "have you finished yet?"  Finally I told him I couldn't keep coming in, especially as he had shown no sign of recruiting a replacement.  He asked me if I would come in and do a handover when he found a new bookkeeper to which I agreed, but expected that to be sooner rather than later.

I put my invoice in for May then, in July, he asked me to come in and do a handover as he was doing the  accounts himself.  What he said was: "I've been keeping on top of entering purchases etc.  It would be great if we could arrange a hand over between you and I (sic).  Basically come in for one last day, show we (sic) a few things like how you run the VAT and post wages etc".  No inkling that he was unhappy with my work.

I told him I was happy to but reminded him he hadn't yet  paid my May invoice.  I then got a rather nasty email which included this weird response: "My terms of supplying work are based upon accurate, professional workmanship carried out as per instruction supplied." and that he would only pay me once I had complied.  I insisted that my terms of payment, as he knew, were 30 days and were unconditional.

Apart from refusing to be bullied and blackmailed into going there, I have a lot of work and stressful personal stuff going on (including an imminent knee replacement op which he knew about) but the nasty tone of his emails have escalated, despite - or because of - my refusal to get drawn into an argument with him.  He is now saying I "changed procedures without his permission" (!), and that the bank doesn't reconcile (it did and I left a record of it).  Today he emailed to say that he'd called in the accountants who do the annual figures to put right the mess and would only pay me what was left if anything after he had paid them but also insisted he (not the accountant) had had to re-reconcile right back to February.  Which is a total load of.....

To be accused of being incompetent is deeply upsetting and I wanted to email back and point out that, as he had been posting to the accounts himself since I had handled it, he could hardly blame me. 

I have resisted the temptation to email and defend myself as I feel it will only make matters worse and upset me still further and will approach the small claims court (once I get time!) but could I ask for any feedback? 

By the way, my new clients are lovely (even though the accounts were in chaos!)

Thanks a lot