Can anyone recommend a standardised client contract that would suit the purposes of a one-man-band, self-employed bookkeeper?
How do you vet/ID your clients? I realise we're supposed to obtain proof of nationality/identity but are we qualified to say such proof is valid/non-forged?
Public Liability, Personal Indemnity, Personal Income and equipment insurances: who with, which policies and how much?
What does Real Time Information mean to the self-employed businessman who doesn't actually pay himself but just draws when he needs the money?
In this day and age is it still possible to provide a bookkeeping service to the smaller businessman entirely out of excel?
A mixed pot, sorry, but any help would be appreciated?
Can anyone recommend a standardised client contract that would suit the purposes of a one-man-band, self-employed bookkeeper?
Engagement letters are about the one thing that bookkeepers are adverse to sharing as generally each of us alters ours from standard and there is always a risk that there are errors in it that would put us in a precarious position if others relied upon the letter content.
For a really good discussion on them with lots of bits to start building your own in combination with perhaps the site one (the the members area) or the one from your professional body.
How do you vet/ID your clients? I realise we're supposed to obtain proof of nationality/identity but are we qualified to say such proof is valid/non-forged?
We take all reasonable precautions in order to be able to prove that we have taken all reasonable precautions to ensure that a clients identity is correct.
Public Liability, Personal Indemnity, Personal Income and equipment insurances: who with, which policies and how much?
Direct Line Business, Zurich (via Arlington), not worth the paper its written on, Direct line Business. (Direct line willl vary dependant on amount and location, Arlinton £78 for site members)
What does Real Time Information mean to the self-employed businessman who doesn't actually pay himself but just draws when he needs the money?
It means nothing to them.
In this day and age is it still possible to provide a bookkeeping service to the smaller businessman entirely out of excel?
Not and look professional. I use VT which is an Excel based double entry package.
A mixed pot, sorry, but any help would be appreciated?
Hope some of those links help.
kind regards,
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.
Confidence (or a lack of it) is a big thing with me and gaining info is the cure. I'll review those threads Monday (when everyone's gone out and I have some peace...).
Getting to grips with the quoted threads (thank you - and yes, I know I'm a day later than I'd said) and it's genuinely quite frightening. I'm an accountant from corporation work (latest experience in the Care Home Industry), not practice. I've never contracted anyone and I'm an accountant, not a lawyer! I'll cobble together something from what I research online and on this thread but, if everyone in this line has their own, just how solid/legal can they be?
I'm in the lucky position of having a tame set of solicitors and barristers available (Family; for minor work, I still have to pay for the big stuff), so whatever I draft'll be checked and corrected but it does make me glad there's insewerance (any Pratchett fans in?) available too.
Just how far can/do we go to protect ourselves from the client's own (deliberate or not) failings?
Also identifying/vetting clients seems a minefield - I was thinking of photocopying passport, DVLC and letterhead (where available) and utility/mortgage paperwork. This seems sufficient to me (as long as I'm satisfied they're not fake - after all, I'm not trained to be able to tell)?
Actually, I've got this long list of people who shouldn't answer that question.... I also think that I may be a price tag on my head from a couple of them...
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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.
Ahhh.... And I've just been out and bought all this tar and feathers... Tut... Right, off to see if I can get my money back.
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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.
Well, I might rent you a Ferrari... Of course, I would need your first born as security deposit with the right to harvest organs and the Ferrari may turn out to be Ford Cortina with a nicked prancing pony badge badge on the front of it... And maybe a Porche one at the back (And how many people can say that they have a Ferrari, Porche, Daggenam dustbin hybrid, hey?).
Guess they can take the boy out of banking but they can't take the banking out of the boy.
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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.
Don't know how Shaun does it but he sure does rock!
lol, thanks Violet.
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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.
