I've just had a phone call from an accountant I know from a few years ago. He's asked if I was interested in doing the VAT returns and payroll for a nightclub.
A little story to set the scene.
About 9 months ago he phoned me asking if I wold be interested in him passing on a couple of possible clients of his for bookkeeping. I explained I was in the process of doing exams to enable me to get a practise certificate so I was covered for MLR. He was on a mobile and the call broke up. It was my intention of getting in contact again with him after I passed my level III ICB.
So he's phoned me today and mentioned this definite one and another possible one.
Here's my problem. Negativity. Instead of thinking - great, I've got an accountant that is willing to pass on work - which funnily enough I find at this time more important than having a client to work for. Although obviously I will treat the client as being important. Instead I am thinking of reasons this person might not want me working for him. The main one being he KNOWS me. In my youth I was what I would describe as a menace to society. Welll, maybe not that bad - but like most Scottish teenagers to early twenties I liked to have a bevvy at the weekends. I know that he knows I'm not going to be like that nowadays - but my brain always wants to focus on the negative. The accountant gave me the choice of me phoning him or him phoning me. So needless to say I took the latter choice.
The person that does the VAT/payroll just now is moving to Dubai but still wants to continue doing it. I think it is likely a relative. I don't think the nightclub owner is happy with this though.
I don't think it is the bookkeeping that I am doing so I don't understand how the VAT works on its own. Maybe I'm just complicating things for myself. Maybe they are not using software for the bookkeeping.
I won't have any problems with the payroll I don't think - it is just the VAT that worries me. I'd be ok continuing it.....it it the taking over from someone else's figures. I don't seem to have the confidence. And there is only one way of getting that confidence.
Does anyone else tie themselves up in knots for no reason over things like this?
-- Edited by Peasie on Monday 16th of May 2011 04:13:00 PM
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Never buy black socks from a normal shop. They shaft you every time.
I think all of us go through the issue of praying that we don't get asked something that we can't answer when we're talking to potential clients.
Even if it's not the acctual bookkeeping that you are doing I'll have money on it that you go through the books and related evidence as if you were in order to be completely on top of the situation.
Just keep in your mind the evidence that you need from the nightclub. Take the first meeting as a fact finding mission and don't worry about VAT, that will prove to be the least of your worries in a predominantly cash based business.
I think that if the accountant had any concerns about the person that you were in your younger days then there is no way that he would be entrusting clients to you. Well, unless it's a nightclub owned by the local thugs so he thinks that your the right man for the job from that perspective! (just joshin).
Anyway, I read all of your posts and know that you'll be fine with this gig.
What's the MLR situatrion with this one as it's the accountants client that they're passing to you so has MLR already been performed on this client? If not is that one of the reasons why they're being passed to you?
Good luck with the new gig Peasie, as mentioned above, joking aside, I'm sure that you will be absolutely fine and the nerves will disappear during your first meeting.
All the best,
Shaun.
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
It's the nightclub owner that knows me from my youth, not the accountant. It used to be a pub downstairs and nightclub upstairs. Or was it a disco? Is there any difference? I'll be 46 in a couple of weeks - not the most trendy of blokes. Nowadays it only opens at night. It's a pity it isn't a pub anymore. For some bizarre reason any time I make toast it reminds me of Saturday afternoons in that pub waiting for the bus to take us to the football.
I'm not even sure the accountant is the accountant for the nightclub. Maybe they just went to him first and he's too busy. His office is just round the corner.
As for MLR - I'll need to get that info to satisfy myself. Up till now anyone I've done work for I've been related to or known personally since I started Primary School. This will be the first time I've had to ask someone I don't know too well.
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Never buy black socks from a normal shop. They shaft you every time.
I'm sure you'll be fine! We all have crises of confidence occasionally. If anyone asks you a question you don't know the answer to, you just say you don't know but you can find out....you can't be expected to know everything
With regard to the MLR, you said you were covered for that...do you have a Supervision Licence? If the accountant is the accountant for the nightclub then you could get a letter from them to say that they are happy for you to accept their due diligence etc on any clients they pass to you. I get passed occasional work from a partnership of accountants (mainly just before Christmas with the January tax return deadline!) and they have given me a letter to this effect.
Good luck....and you are a mere youngster at 46...I am 54!
It is likely a different accountant. I think they are probably just friends with this accountant and he is just round the corner anyway. I reckon he will have moved from elsewhere about 25 years ago and still uses the same accountant from his original location. He's been the owner of this place for donkeys years. 25 plus years.
I have a practise certificate/licence with the ICB so they supervise me for MLR.
I only mentioned my age as an excuse for not knowing what the difference was between a nightclub or discotheque (to give it its full name).
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Never buy black socks from a normal shop. They shaft you every time.
